


Snow In the City

by delphia2000



Series: The Snow Series [2]
Category: Kung Fu: The Legend Continues
Genre: AU, F/M, sequel to Snow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-04
Updated: 2010-04-06
Packaged: 2017-10-08 17:10:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 63,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/77717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delphia2000/pseuds/delphia2000
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to "Snow."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

An icy winter wind blew through the streets of Chinatown, violently dispersing bits of litter before it like a wolf scattering sheep. Early morning denizens went about their business, coats clutched tightly, huddling from the chilling wind and traffic moved slowly, bumper to bumper. The sky, snow and buildings were all the same shades of gray as expensive, old silverware and just as indifferently cold.

On the top floor of Caine's brownstone, Snow Murdoch Griffin sat in the window and gazed down at the disorder below her. She had the window slightly open, reveling in what felt like a moderately cool wind to her. Yesterday, she'd been in the sub-zero, deep-freeze of the Alaskan wilderness winter. Today, she was here in the teeming city where the throngs of people warmed the very air with their lives and filled her empathically sensitive mind with chaos.

She'd been here less than 24 hours and, already, she hated it.

She hated it because it was dirty and crowded and it smelled. She hated it because it was all gray and sullen and the only living things were predators more dangerous than any wild beast that roamed her wilderness home. And she hated it most of all because here she could no longer hide from the gift that had been awakened in her; the gift of empathy.

She'd always had it and for most of her early life, it had been no problem. But somehow, in college, it had gotten out of hand and she'd been overwhelmed by the feelings of those around her. So she'd fled the city to the relative calm of the Alaskan wilderness and given up her career ambitions of being an EMT. Living relatively happily for almost 20 years as an inn-keeper of a remote vacation lodge on the Tanana River, she'd spent her summers entertaining small groups of tourists and her winters living in peace and quiet. And then the calm had been shattered by a man.

Yesterday, she'd also been single.

She looked over to the man asleep on the futon bed, the man whom she'd known for only three weeks, the man she'd married yesterday, and she considered that she should have let the doctors lock her up in a rubber room years ago because she was obviously insane. Kermit Griffin slept on, unaware of her assessment.

Radar, her wolf-husky hybrid nosed at her hand, probably asking to go out. She pulled on the jeans she'd been wearing yesterday over the underwear she'd slept in and slipped into the faded flannel shirt she'd shed in the middle of the night. Then she used hand signals with the wolf to keep from waking the man, and together, they went out. They traveled down the hall and down a stairwell to the alley behind the building. She waited barefoot in the doorway while the animal found the right place to suit her needs and then they went back upstairs together again.

Even with the window opened, the wolf apparently found the bedroom too hot, opting to go sit in another room by the balcony where the wind stole in through a crack under the double doors. Snow padded quietly back to the bedroom and closed the door behind her. Slipping out of her jeans, she crept back into the bed. "Had to take Radar out?" he asked quietly.

She should have known she wasn't going to be able to sneak around him. He was too alert, too ready for danger here in his own urban element. Snuggling up next to him, she rubbed chilled, bare feet up his legs to warm them. "Sorry. We were trying not to wake you."

"I probably have to get up soon anyway. I'll have to go back to my.....our place to get ready for work. So, how are you feeling?"

"Don't you mean 'who am I feeling'?" she joked, referring to her empathic gift that had driven her to tears for much of the day before.

Her first day in the city and she'd been unable to control the feelings that she'd picked up from the masses of people around her. "I'm doing okay so far. Lo Si's tea hasn't worn off completely yet."

Still wearing the shoulder brace that supported his mending collarbone, he slid his good left arm around her, wincing slightly as he moved to hold her close. "I'm sorry. I had no idea it would be this bad."

"I don't remember it being this bad when I left. I guess I just let it slide too long. I should have been trying to bring it under control years ago. It's my own fault."

"You'll get the hang of that shielding soon. Peter said you'd already been doing it naturally."

She cuddled closer, nuzzling his neck and whispered, "I know. I will. But I'm sorry I messed up our wedding night. That wasn't very fair to you."

A tiny light came into his eyes and he smiled wickedly, "Then you'll have to make it up to me, won't you?"

She giggled. "Now?"

He reached up to stroke her hair while rubbing a beard-roughened cheek against her soft little chin. "Now would be good."

"What if we wake up Peter?" she asked.

"I think that's the idea," he quipped.

She gave him a moderately appalled look, but her eyes were laughing. "Kermit! I was talking about Caine."

His right hand was still held partially immobile by the shoulder brace but he was able to do amazing things with it when he wanted to. "Let him get his own woman."

"I might get noisy. You have that effect on me," Snow confessed with a tiny shiver at his expert touch. "It's embarrassing."

"I can take care of that," he told her as he took her face gently with his good hand.

He kissed her deeply and she held on tightly, letting her soft cries of pleasure get lost in his mouth.

*****************************************

Peter went into the kitchen and started the coffee, still dressed in a tee shirt and the sweatpants he'd slept in. Radar looked up and thumped her tail briefly to say good morning but kept her spot by the cool door. He'd heard Snow take the wolf out earlier, but it was his Shaolin senses that told him what was going on now in the quiet bedroom down the hall.

He sat down on the floor next to the wolf and petted her coarse fur absently. Normally he'd be meditating while he waited for the coffee to brew but there'd be no peace with all that silent activity going on. "I used to do a lot of that," he commented to Radar. "Not that I'm jealous or anything."

He sighed, thinking of Jordan, the most recent of his serious, but incomplete relationships. "I wonder if it's really all that different when you're married."

Radar thumped her tail twice as if in answer.

"That was a rhetorical question. Besides, what do you know; you're a dog."

Her head came up.

"Okay, my mistake. A wolf. But wolves don't get married either. Even if you do have a license. Hey, what do you know; I made a funny."

Radar gave a short woof and laid her head back down. "Fine, I'll keep my day job," he told her. "Not that I'm doing much better at that either."

He sighed again and leaned back against the doorjamb, somewhat frustrated. He'd been trying his best but still seemed to have trouble finding his niche here in Chinatown. He was still regarded with some distrust by many of the folk who wanted a different Caine to help them. The Ancient had even gone out with him several times as he wandered the streets, hoping the neighborhood would get used to seeing him. And hoping his Shaolin senses and his apparent destiny would lead him to those who needed his help.

He'd helped a few, but too few. With his father's protective presence gone, the criminal element was growing bolder. Worse yet, he'd heard that his father's old enemy, Bon Bon Hai was back in town. He thought they'd gotten rid of him when they had defeated the Dark Warrior in Shambhala. Kermit had been the last person to see him; no one hearing anything about him for months now. But he'd been seen around town recently and wherever he was, trouble was sure to be in attendance.

The scent of fresh-brewed coffee was suddenly very noticeable, rousing him from his musings. He got up and pulled a mug from the rack on the counter. Kermit came in as he was pouring the coffee, so Peter handed him the steaming cup and reached for another for himself. "How is she doing this morning?" he asked.

Kermit shrugged, ruffling Radar's ears as the wolf got up to greet him. "Better. Said the tea hasn't worn off yet."

Peter sipped at his coffee. "Take Radar with you, will you? We need to be able to concentrate. I'll be working her hard and I don't want any interruptions."

"I thought I'd take her back to the apartment with me so she could shower and change first," Kermit told him. "Then I'll bring her back on my way to the doctor's."

Peter shook his head negatively. "She could get exposed to bad influences. Besides, you don't have that much time. Just leave her here. I'll get her one of the gee's leftover from Pop's Kwoon to wear. She's going to need something more comfortable than jeans to be sitting on the floor all day anyway. Call me at noon on the cell phone and let me know what the doctor has to say. And how things are at work."

"You mean how Simms takes it?" he asked, staring into his cup as if he could foresee the future.

"I was thinking more like what your hours will be. I doubt the doctor will let you go back full time. But yeah, that, too. I want to be available if she wants to talk. You'd better let her know that Snow is here, just in case."

Kermit nodded.

"Does Snow have any idea......?"

"Oh, yeah. I told her," Kermit cut in, as if knowing that Peter was going to ask whether Snow knew he'd been dating his boss.

"You tell her a lot. Things you never told Karen. Or me."

Kermit nodded his head slowly. "I know. But I don't know why, other than it seems right."

"Destiny?" Peter suggested.

He laughed at that. "You know, Lo Si is about as spooky as they come, but I think he's right about Snow and I being tied up in some destiny together. I surely can't explain it any other way."

***********************************

Kermit was having a lousy day and it wasn't even noon yet. The doctor's appointment had been both painful and disappointing. He'd hoped to hear that he was mending fast but all he got was a lecture on how the healing process slows when you age. That and a physical therapy schedule. He'd done PT before. At best, it was uncomfortable, but more likely it would just plain old hurt. Topping it off was a reduced job schedule that would give him barely enough time to get into a work mode.

And then there had been that awkward scene with Simms. He didn't even want to think about that. She didn't deserve the way he'd talked to her. It was over and done with, so why was he still so angry with her?

He decided he needed a break and fished some change from his desk drawer. Even though he hated to venture out where he might potentially be asked personal questions, he wanted a Coke and the machine was downstairs. As he left his office, he caught a whiff of familiar perfume. Simms, with her coat, and a look of determination, as she headed for the door. And he realized with alarm that he'd forgotten to mention that Snow was at Caine's. If she was going there, it wouldn't be good for anyone.

"Captain Simms, a moment of your time, if you don't mind?" Kermit called. Although not completely sure that was where she was going, he couldn't take the chance.

"Make it fast, Detective," she ordered briskly.

He indicated his office, not wanting to discuss it in front of everyone, and held the door for her. She hesitated briefly as if she wanted to put him off but thought better of it and brushed past him, into his office. She turned to face him as he closed the door. They left the blinds down but tilted open enough that anyone could see they were squared off like gunfighters at high noon. "I apologize for taking up your time again with this delicate subject, but I neglected to mention that my..... ah,.... Snow is staying with Peter at his place during the day for the time being. I would hazard to guess you would rather not drop by there unknowing."

"Oh, very astute of you, Detective. Thank you for your concern. Was there anything else?" she asked, icily.

"Just one more thing. Also for the time being, I'll need to keep Radar with me," he told her, indicating the wolf that lay quietly at her feet. "I hope that won't be a problem."

"Not as long as she's housebroken," Simms shrugged. "She came in rather handy this morning when she held that perp at bay."

She reached down to offer a hand for the animal to sniff and quickly withdrew it when Radar's lip curled, showing bright, sharp teeth in a delicate snarl.

"Radar!" Kermit admonished her. "You mind your manners!"

Radar sat up and half crawled over to crouch at his feet, ears drooping and tail tucked under; thoroughly cowed by the tone of her god's voice. "Well, there's no mistaking who's the boss around here," Simms commented acidly, "Keep her under control, Detective. One bite--that means anyone--and she's a very lovely rug for my office. Do I make myself clear?"

"Oh, yeah."

He held on to Radar's collar for insurance as the Captain strode past them to leave, closing the door behind her with a curt snap. "Thanks a heap," he muttered to Radar as she slurped his hand. "You were a big help."

He'd hoped desperately that it wasn't a foreshadowing of things to come.

************************************

"Company"

Peter and Snow said it out loud and opened their eyes at the same time. "Mary Margaret Skalany," Peter identified the presence they'd both felt entering the building. "A friend and one of my former partners at the precinct."

"She's a very curious person. She wants to know what you know about me."

Peter smiled. "Yes, that's her. An information-seeking guided missile camouflaged with an innocent smile. Unrepentant gossip, too. Does she know you're here?"

Snow shook her head. "Doesn't feel like it."

"Then I'd better head her off. Kermit will probably want to introduce you to his co-workers in his own way, on his own timetable, if I know him."

"Too late," Snow noted as Mary Margaret came into the kitchen area, calling Peter's name.

Peter didn't move quite quickly enough to stand between Snow and his visitor. He saw Mary Margaret's eyes light up as she realized who the small figure sitting cross-legged amongst the candles probably was. "This way, please," he ordered his former partner taking her arm, and then, over his shoulder to Snow, "And you, back to work."

"That's her, isn't it?" Mary Margaret asked eagerly as she was half dragged into the hallway. "So, introduce me."

"Nice to see you, too. So what brings you to my neighborhood?" Peter asked, ignoring her question.

"Well, I thought I'd invite you to lunch," she offered, still trying to see over his shoulder, into the meditation room. "What is it that she's working on?"

He shifted position again, blocking her view. "Did you really want my company or were you just planning on pumping me for information about Kermit's wife?" he asked, still ignoring her questions.

"Of course," she answered with a grin.

"Of course, which? Never mind. Thanks, but I'm busy today. How about a raincheck?"

"Oh, come on, partner," she cajoled, "You know Kermit wasn't going to tell us anything. I just wanted to know the basics. You know: age, weight, hair color. Why a man who doesn't trust his underwear decides to get married to someone he's only known for three weeks?"

Peter shrugged and put his arm around her, moving her gently back down the hall. "You know Kermit. Mysterious. Unpredictable. Likely to offer to terminate you if he finds you've been here prying into his private life."

"Up to now, there wasn't much evidence he actually had a personal life."

"Well, he does now. So let him tell you what he wants you to know, okay?"

"Peter!" she implored.

"Skalany," he threatened back. They had stopped at the head of the stairway.

"You're just no fun anymore," she accused.

"I never was. You've got me mixed up with my Pop."

The reference sobered her immediately. "You hear anything from him?" she asked sadly.

He shook his head negatively and she sighed, so he hugged her, saying, "I feel he's okay, wherever he is, though. Don't worry."

"Yeah, right. Look, you have to tell me one thing. Just say yes or no. Does she have green eyes?"

Peter smiled. "Yes."

"Ha! I knew it. I knew it," she gloated. "Blake owes me a fiver on that one. Thanks partner, I'll hold on to that raincheck for lunch. But you'd better call me."

She started down the stairs. "I will," he called after her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Kermit sighed and rubbed absently at his aching arm. He wasn't supposed to be typing but he had to get that Alaskan trip report out so he'd been abusing his half-healed shoulder in order to work more efficiently at his computer. Grady from Tech had promised to bring by the voice-recognition software sometime today but must have gotten hung up somewhere, so he'd been forced to type the report himself. He would have been within his rights to ask for someone to type for him but dictating to a stranger would have been beyond uncomfortable, mentally. Better the physical pain.

He glanced up at the clock. Almost a quarter to three. He'd promised he'd have his report in by three when it was time for him to leave. After getting up to pull the neatly printed document from the printer, he reached for his suit jacket and carefully slipped the injured shoulder into it before tackling the job of replacing the arm sling. For a minute, while he struggled with the straps, his movements confined by his shoulder brace, he regretted having taken it off. Still, a little physical pain was nothing compared to the mental agonies he'd suffered that day; the entire bullpen watching his every move as if he were part of some kind of live-action soap opera. For once, the shielding sunglasses hadn't been enough. He'd spent most of his time in his office with the door closed, daring anyone to bother him. They hadn't. They just stared every time he came out.

But even facing their curious looks and judging expressions were not as bad as what he was about to do. Standing up to guns, missiles, and scorpions were easy compared to facing a ticked-off former girlfriend. She hadn't been in a good mood last time he'd been forced to talk with her; he had no reason to believe anything had magically improved between them over the course of the day.

Sling finally adjusted and jacket straightened, he picked up the report and opened the office door. Radar sat up expectantly. "Stay," he ordered, grateful when she lay back down for at least the illusion of control over anything right now.

He felt eyes boring into the back of his neck as he crossed over to the Captain's office and tapped on her door. There was whispering going on over at the coffee pot and Mary Margaret had a strange expression on her face which he ignored outwardly but which grated on his nerves like sandpaper on a carpetburn. He left the door open deliberately when he was told to enter, dropping his report smack in the middle of Simms overflowing desk.

"I wanted a report, not a novel, Griffin," she commented sarcastically, eyeing the stack of papers.

"A lot happened. I wanted to be precise," he explained.

She was staring at his hand and he realized he'd been nervously fiddling with the newly acquired ring on his left hand. He mentally groaned at his unintentional tactlessness and jammed the offending hand into his pocket. "Yes, a lot," she agreed, "Looks like a lot of typing, too. If I remember correctly, the Chief said your doctor's orders were no typing."

"Yeah, well, you know how well I follow orders," was his caustic reply.

She gave him a challenging look as she demanded, "I suggest you follow those doctor's orders from here on in. You've had enough down time and I don't want it stretched out any longer than necessary. We've had some work that required your computer expertise and even though Blake filled in, I want you back where we need you, on the web, as soon as possible."

"Blake?" he exclaimed, "Blake thinks a search engine is part of a choo-choo train. I sincerely hope you weren't letting him use my computer. There's no telling what he's done to my files if he was messing......"

"Calm down, Griffin. No one went near your office much less touched your precious computer which, by the way, last time I checked, actually belongs to the precinct not to you. Just bear in mind that your not following the doctor's orders affects all of us. We depend on you. Now please, go home and get some rest."

He gave her one of those "Yes, ma'am" responses he knew she hated and closed her door behind him. The current occupants of the bullpen were carefully not looking in his direction, so he said loudly to no one in particular as he crossed the room, "No fireworks, no explosions, no drama. Real life is such a bore. TJ, my office, if you can spare a minute."

The younger detective followed him in and closed the door behind him when Kermit indicated with a sweeping finger gesture. Nervously taking the chair opposite the desk, he asked, "What's up?"

"Real estate," was the reply. "I need to get rid of my apartment condo and find a new home."

The relief on the man's face was evident, being placed in an arena where he was totally comfortable. Taking a small notebook out of his jacket breast pocket, he began to fire questions at a rapid pace. Within seconds, Kermit realized he'd possibly made a mistake tackling this so soon. He wasn't sure how to answer most of the legitimate, but irritating questions barraging him. Since he hadn't discussed anything along these lines with Snow, he had no idea what her tastes would be in housing. And he wasn't about to admit his ignorance. It was pretty certain they were not going to find an urban log cabin anywhere close by. He finally silenced the babbling man with an upraised hand.

"Look, I don't care about square footage, age or style. Find us a house. Preferably on one level. She hates heights, especially in earthquake zones. It needs to have at least one bedroom and one bathroom, a kitchen, four walls and a roof. I want a garage too. Money is no object. Find a place between here and Chinatown if that's possible. Or fairly close. A place that can be made secure. Pick a variety of places to show us and let me know when. We'll accommodate your schedule. Now, do us both a favor and get out of here before I'm forced to flatten some of your square footage and relocate it!"

T.J had backed out of the room as swiftly as possible, stammering that he'd get right on it, leaving Kermit fuming and guilty. He knew he'd been short with T.J. and that the man didn't deserve it. It was his own fault he hadn't discussed the subject with Snow. And now, he'd have to find a way to apologize to Kincaid especially since he would have to be working with him on a personal level. Damn. First Simms and now Kincaid. He hadn't been consciously trying to alienate the entire precinct but so far, he was batting two for two. "Come on, Radar, let's get out of here," he growled at the wolf, as he grabbed his coat to leave.

On the way to Caine's he decided to do some grocery shopping by himself, fearing that Snow would be unable to handle the crowded store if he brought her along. They hadn't a thing to eat in the apartment and he was determined to sleep in his own bed tonight. It aggravated him that he had to have the bagger bring his purchases out to his car for him. The doctor promised he'd be out of the sling soon but it wouldn't be soon enough for him. Good thing he was a cop or he could get in real trouble for driving one-handed.

Leaving the bags in the car, he went into Peter's brownstone by the alleyway, up the back stairway. "Go find your mommy," he ordered Radar and then followed her down the hall to the bedroom they'd occupied last night. The wolf scratched gently at the closed door, whining a little.

Holding on to her collar, he peeked in to see Snow fast asleep on the futon. She was wearing one of the white pajama type suits they used for Kung Fu practice down in the Kwoon. Moderately concerned, he closed the door quietly and headed to the solarium where he could hear Peter talking.

Peter had moved all his father's apothecary supplies out of the kitchen area for his own convenience and into this room which was still connected to both the rooftop garden area and the main entry room. In summer, he'd be moving the plants outside again but for the winter, they were set up under grow lights. The lights and greenery gave it a welcoming warmth. Peter called it his solarium and added a couple of comfy chairs from his old apartment for people who were waiting to pick up apothecary items.

Peter was relaxing in one of those chairs while Lo Si was busily mixing up something in a mortar on the work table. Radar bounded directly to the old man to whom she'd also taken a shine. "Peter, Lo Si," Kermit acknowledge with a nod.

The Ancient gave a short bow and Peter got up from his chair. "I thought you said the doctor was putting you on part time. We were getting worried."

"Had to do a few things," he explained. "What's with Snow?"

"Lo Si's tea again," Peter answered, "plus she was tired from today's exercises."

"It will make her sleepy until she gets used to it," Lo Si put in. "A few days, and she will be able to stay awake but still be protected. She should awaken soon."

His frustrations must have been showing because Peter was looking at him closely as he said, "She did good today but it won't happen overnight. Kermit, you know that recovering can take some time. She has a lot to overcome."

Kermit sighed and nodded, rubbing at his arm again. It didn't go unnoticed by either of the Shaolins. "I will make some tea for you, also," the Ancient said as he turned to the shelves of jars.

"Thanks, but I'd rather stay awake for a while longer," he rejected the offer.

Lo Si continued his preparations and Peter reached out to take his friend's good arm, gently guiding him over to a chair. "Come on, we need to make a few plans. Sit with me and tell me what you want us to do."

They went over what Peter suggested as best for Snow. "She needs to alternate the meditation and practice with things that will require her to work on two levels. One, to concentrate on holding the shielding and, on the second level, to go about daily life without disturbing the shields. I'm thinking she could use a few more self-defense skills, maybe?"

Kermit nodded, "She knows some but I may not always be around when some of my past catches up. I want to know she'll be safe."

Peter continued, "I can handle the meditation at this level and the self-defense. Lo Si has agreed to work with her here, in the apothecary. She already knows a lot more than I do and will be more of a help to him. Then, when she's ready for some advanced meditation and training, Lo Si is willing to take over."

"Advanced training in what?" asked Kermit, frowning.

"She is gifted. Her skills must not be wasted," Lo Si insisted as he handed Kermit a cup of some foul-smelling tea. "What is it exactly you think she'll be doing?" he persisted, taking a small sip and grimacing, "And what the hell is in this? I've had water out of mud puddles that was tastier than this."

" Drink. It will diminish the aches. I use it myself. As for Snow, she will do as much as she can. It will depend on her," he answered, vaguely. "One day she may be able to command the power of the united Gryphon Pendant. I do not know for sure."

Kermit looked over to Peter who shrugged and said, "I know. It's enough to make you crazy but that's all we'll get out of him."

"It is all you need to know, young Master Caine," Lo Si assured him.

"What do I need to know, Ancient Master?" asked Snow from the doorway, "And what about what I want? Not that I want to rudely interrupt as you all plan out my life for me, thank you very much."

She had managed to surprise them all, bare feet moving as silently as butterfly wings. Only Radar noticed her arrival, going to stand by her side for a round of petting and wet-nosed, doggy greetings. Peter asked gently, "Isn't control what you want, Snow?"

"Yes."

"Then this is the best way we can help you to achieve that."

"And if I deny my gift? Choose not to use it?"

The Ancient put in, "As you have been doing and now it controls you. You can no more deny your gift than you can deny breathing. It is part of you. You know this."

Snow shook her head and sighed in resignation as she came into the room to drop a kiss on her husband's cheek. "Are you always right, Ancient Master?"

He shrugged, an enigmatic smile lingering. "I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken."

Snow smiled at the response and shoved gently at Kermit to get him to move over in the big chair, making room for her to snuggle up to him. He set the teacup down on a nearby plant stand to accommodate her and she curled up against his good side, drawing his arm around her. Then she picked up his discarded cup and sniffed at it. "Um, shoulder aching?" she asked quietly.

He nodded, "A little. It was a long day. I guess I've gotten used to laying about, letting you coddle me and shoot me up full of drugs."

"Poor baby. And you, no doubt, were disregarding the doctor's orders and abusing yourself."

"Who? Me? I'm not into self-abuse. At least not since I was twelve and discovered girls."

"Twelve? My, weren't we precocious. Drink," she urged, holding the cup for him, so he took a big swallow to please her. It was more hideous than the first sip.

"Gahh! What is this stuff?" he almost choked as he swallowed.

"It's the bitter root that gives it the bad flavor," Snow told him.

"And that does...what?"

She smiled. "Nothing. It just makes it taste bad so you know it's good for you."

Peter was smiling behind his hand and Lo Si had turned away to give Radar more attention. Kermit gave them each a look that promised retribution before finishing the cup in one swift gulp.

"So what have you decided for me?" Snow asked, sounding almost a little too casual.

"A day much like today," Peter informed her, "Meditation, self-defense, meditation, lunch, meditation, more self-defense, meditation and some apothecary work."

"Gosh, that sounds like fun. But that's going to cut into my meditation time."

Peter gave her an encouraging smile, "Within a few days, you'll be doing other than meditation so you can practice your shielding. I promise you won't be bored."

Snow looked a little chagrined by the attitude she'd given him. "So this means I'm your student now, Master Caine?"

"You are indeed."

"And that means I'll be doing most of the chores around here, like you said you did when you were a student? Chores like cooking?"

Peter looked a little disappointed. "You didn't like lunch, did you?"

"It was..... filling. Tomorrow, I'll look over your supplies first thing and make up a shopping list. Look at it this way, you'll have more time to meditate," she grinned at him.

"Fine," he nodded, "Just don't feed me as well as you do your husband. I can't afford to buy larger jeans."

"Obviously, I don't need to abuse myself. It seems to be everyone else's job today," Kermit grumbled, "But that does bring up another matter. Payment."

Peter shook his head quickly, "Uh, uh. This is what I'm here for. Helping. It's not a business."

Kermit persisted. "You aren't your father, Peter. You have a car, a phone, bills, you eat. He did trade-outs all the time. You haven't had time to establish all those connections and you're probably eating up all your savings."

Snow put in quickly, "And it's not like we can't afford it, Peter. This way, you can have the resources to help those who can't pay."

She could see he was wavering as he looked to Lo Si for help. The Ancient acknowledged, "Some of the parents paid for their sons to be students. It helped to maintain the temple."

"We take over the car costs, including gas and we pay the tab at Ling's grocery next door on a monthly basis," Kermit offered, "She eats even more than I do."

"I can bring some of that bitter root home for your coffee, you know," Snow suggested.

Peter cut in before they really got going. "Okay. I can't fight the logic although it hurts my pride that I can't do the same as my Pop," he admitted.

Lo Si came to the rescue. "Even your father likes microwaved popcorn now and then, Peter," he pointed out.

"Fine, now that that's all settled, I think I'll take my girls home and see if my old lady can whip up a lo-cal dinner for me," Kermit said as he levered himself out of the low chair one-handed and then held out his hand to take Snow's. "I have physical therapy tomorrow at 9 so I'll bring her by around 8:30 if that works for you?"

"Sure," Peter agreed.

"Let me get my clothes," Snow said over her shoulder as she headed down the hall to the guest room with Radar trailing her.

"And I will prepare a packet of tea for you in case she needs more," Lo Si added.

Peter and Kermit stepped into the hall, away from the hearing of the old man. "So you didn't mention how work was," Peter commented.

Kermit shrugged. "Tense.

"Simms?"

The sunglasses gave back only Peter's reflection. "She'll get over it."

He didn't elaborate and Snow's return prevented Peter from pushing for more. Peter made a mental note to make time to visit his former boss sometime soon. Lo Si brought out the tea and Snow tucked it into her bag as they left.

"Your first student. A momentous occasion," the Ancient commented. "I shall cook for you tonight to celebrate," and he turned to go to the kitchen.

Peter lifted a hand at the retreating figure, "Exactly what is wrong with my cooking?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Night was just falling and it had been a very long day for Detective Jody Powell as she stood on the front steps of the precinct building, buttoning up her coat. It smelled like it was going to snow again. Snow. That was the name of Kermit's new wife. What an odd name. She'd have to remember to ask him where it came from. The name sounded like some hippy love child but for the life of her, Jody couldn't imagine Kermit with a new-age, hippy chick.

To tell the truth, she really couldn't imagine Kermit with any chick even though it was rumored that he'd been married before. But he'd looked good with Captain Simms. They were in the same age range. Both cops. Both intelligent. They had appeared to be making a relationship together and then suddenly, boom, it was over and they were each hiding in their respective offices to avoid the other. Then Kermit went away and came back married. No wonder Simms had that slightly shell-shocked look to her for most of the day.

It was then Jody noticed that someone who looked a lot like the Captain was heading across the street, towards Chandler's. Most of the bullpen was hanging at Delancy's now but Chandler's was close. And she could use a drink, Jody thought to herself. It definitely had been a long day. She started across the street even before she'd really made up her mind.

Captain Simms had taken a seat at the end of the bar, furthest from the door. She looked like she could use a friend. Jody walked up to stand next to her and said, "I hate to drink alone. Care to get plastered with me?"

Simms looked her over, almost as if sizing her up. Then she finally said, "Aren't you afraid your boss might see you?"

Jody shrugged. "What I do on my own time is my business as long as it doesn't affect my job performance. And this won't. As for my boss, I don't see her around here. All I see is another woman like me, letting a man make her crazy."

Then she waited to see if her boss was going to let down her hair.

Karen considered her options. She could tell her detective to take a flying leap and sit here, sulking and drinking all by herself. Or she could take a chance that Jody would be discreet and she'd have a friendly face to count on. She took the chance. "What the hell, I've already been reprimanded for being too familiar with my subordinates. Why not at least earn it. Sit down."

Jody waved at the bartender who came over to take her order. "....and keep them coming," she directed as she slid onto the barstool.

When the barkeep brought her drink, Jody picked it up and gave Simms an opening to talk. "So, what about that elephant?"

Simms looked at her curiously. "What elephant?"

"The huge, invisible one wearing sunglasses and a wedding ring that we're both ignoring."

Simms snorted. "Oh, that one."

Then she looked deeply into her drink as if not looking at Jody would make it easier to talk. "You know, I keep redoing a few weeks back when I told him we couldn't see each other outside of work anymore. I told him my career was more important, but somehow, right now, it doesn't feel all that important although it should be since now it's all I have."

"You came in under some pretty tough circumstances. I wouldn't have liked to follow Paul Blaisdell but you've matched his standards and then some," Jody complimented. "You're not only the sole woman captain in this city, you're also the youngest captain. That kind of a career is nothing to discount."

"I have no doubts about my job performance. It's my personal life I keep screwing up. I wasn't fair. I lied. To him and worse, I lied to me."

Jody shook her head, "I don't understand. How do you figure that?"

Simms shrugged. "When Kincaid told me my job was on the line, I panicked. All I could think about was my ex-husband and how when push came to shove, he deserted me. People come and go throughout a lifetime. Some stay longer, but most don't. My job, my career is the one constant I've had in my life. I've given up a lot for it. I told myself I wasn't ready to risk it for a man."

Jody prompted. "So how is that lying to yourself?"

"I had other options. I could have taken another precinct. Or sent him to another one. I could have kept both the career and the man. Instead, I told myself he wasn't worth the risk. And that was a lie because I was really just afraid it wouldn't work out. That he'd end up leaving. Hell, I always knew one of us would leave, eventually. So I left first. And now it seems I can't stop thinking about him."

"Oh, for pity's sake, the guy waited all of, what, a couple weeks before taking up with someone else? And he marries someone he's only known for 3 weeks? He's nuts! Not that we needed this demonstration to know that Kermit Griffin is a flake--he's always been borderline insane. You're better off without him! Men are....are....bacteria!"

The warmth of the scotch and the tone of Jody's voice set Simms to snickering. "I'm not sure I care for the comparison. Let's face it, some bacteria are quite useful."

That made Jody laugh as she picked up her drink and raised it, saying, "My apologies to all useful bacteria."

Simms downed her drink in unison and then pushed her empty glass towards the bartender who gave her a cautious look. "It's okay, young man. I left my car keys at work and am planning on taking a taxi home. Hit me again and this time, make it a double."

She turned around in her chair and, leaning back on her elbows on the bar, whispered aside to Jody, "I guess we'd better not tell him we're both carrying guns!"

"He'll figure it out when we start using the expensive bottles in the top row for target practice in about, oh, I'd say two hours at this rate. That is, if we're both still in an upright position. I don't shoot very well prone."

"I'm not a bad shot from any position, but it's been a while since I've practiced. Might take out the bartender by accident. Especially if he tries to cut me off. Wouldn't that just delight the Commissioner," Simms commented. "I should have told Kincaid to take this job and shove it."

Jody shook her head. "I'm glad you didn't. Even if you weren't as good at your job as you are, it's so worth it just to see some of the guys squirm when a woman gives them an order. When I grow up, I wanna be just like you. Or like Julia Sugarbaker from 'Designing Women.' Sometimes I can't decide which."

Karen nodded as she turned to accept the fresh drink that was delivered to her. "Yes, indeed. I wanted to be her, too. Attitude, looks and no mayor breathing down her neck. Plus she probably would have been able to slice and dice a certain detective with her wit and sashayed off without a backward glance, on to the next man. Then again, he probably wouldn't have dumped her."

Jody reached out to touch her gently on the shoulder. "You dumped him, remember? And if he'd had the chance, of course, he would have left her. We've already established the man's an idiot with computer circuits instead of brains and a haywire program instead of emotions. So did he at least tell you decently?"

"Depends on what you consider decent. He just blurted it out. Then he tried to tell me it had nothing to do with me. It was...a very special moment."

Jody groaned. "What is with men? Are they all totally devoid of any compassion?"

Karen sighed as she swirled the ice cubes in her glass. "I don't know. I suppose she's beautiful and young and has a killer body like that last twit who turned his head. Or maybe I should say, his zipper."

Jody almost choked on her drink. "Okay, Ms. Sugarbaker, I didn't think you had that one in you but I have to admit, that was a good shot."

Then she hesitated before she continued. "You know, Skalany saw her for a moment at Peter's. Stopped in to see him and she was there with him."

Simms closed her eyes and groaned. "He told me she was staying there with Peter during the day. It was a charmingly awkward moment, but at least it avoided an immensely awkward situation. And it explains why I'm here getting tanked instead of spilling my guts to a certain Shaolin priest. With Detective Mary Mouth on the job, I bet it's all over the bullpen by now, isn't it? People will be whispering behind my back and shut up suddenly when I approach. Great. I hate that. So, what does she look like?"

"Are you sure?"

"As much as I hate to think about it, I'll have to meet her eventually. Better to be forewarned."

"Okay," Jody agreed, "According to the Skalany News Service, she looks very short, maybe five foot or so. Sort of attractive, but not a beauty. Very long brown hair with a bit of what looked like gray in it. Appears to be about his age. Green eyes."

"Of course," interrupted Karen.

Jody went on, "Not busty, but not hippy either. Definitely not a supermodel type. Kind of sturdy looking, I think was the way she put it."

"Sounds harmless enough. But I still hate her," Simms sighed. "Oops. Did I say that out loud?"

Jody giggled a bit, her drinks finally kicking in and then said, "Well, it really wouldn't matter what she looks like, would it?"

Karen sighed again. "No, it wouldn't. I'd still be asking myself what does she have that I don't have. Besides the obvious."

"I ask myself that all the time."

"Come up with any answers?"

Jody shook her head negatively, "Nope. It's different every time. This one is prettier than me; that one had a better figure, the other one was smarter. But I know it's not the packaging, because the package is always different. It's something else. Something I just can't get a handle on. If I could, I'd be selling it for a million bucks and starring in my own infomercial."

"Put me down for a case."

*********************************************

The wine was perfectly chilled, the food superb, and the women, beautiful. Jack Wong was almost writhing inwardly as he jealously watched his boss smooth-talk the ladies at his side. Bon Bon Hai would probably have them both tonight, he calculated. This was the power he wanted for himself--the ability to have all the best whenever, wherever he wanted. Someday, he'd have it. Probably over Hai's dead body but that was not such an unpleasant prospect.

He turned to chuck the chin of the luscious little girl next to him and caught the glare of his father-in-law, Moon Musong, from across the table. But that was not Moon's wife by his side either, so he held his silence while Jack petted and played with the pretty toy.

Marrying Moon's daughter had been the boss's idea, not his and certainly not Moon's. No one knew of Moon's involvement with Hai and his organization. Moon was well regarded in the community, definitely upper class and not happy with the man who'd been chosen to be added to his family but what Bon Bon Hai decreed, came to pass over any and all objections. So now Jack had a lovely, spoiled little girl for his wife, a beautiful home and a certain amount of respectability in the public eye. Obviously, he was being groomed for better things. But pretty Ahn Lei Wong was beginning to bore him and he was tiring of her pouty demands that he'd once thought were cute.

Bon Bon Hai clapped his hands together. "The ladies will now withdraw. We shall join them later. But first we must take care of some business, gentlemen."

He waited until all the women had left and the doors were closed before he began. Starting with the man on his left, Hai went around the table, taking reports, making decisions and handing out assignments. When he got to Jack, he asked, "And the Shaolins?"

Jack sat up straight. "The older Caine is still gone. The Ancient is seen often in the company of the younger Caine as he roams the streets trying to fill his father's role. So far, he can't. I've seen to that. All it took was just some brief, ahh...persuasion, on the part of a few key members of the community. A few rumors dropped here and there. They don't trust him. He's still a cop and not family as far as they are concerned. So far, anyway."

Hai glared at him, tiger eyes burning with hate. "So far?"

Wong shrugged. He was careful never to lie or omit anything to his boss. He'd seen what those kinds of mistakes could cost. "He's still Shaolin. Some turn to him. He still happens along at the wrong time sometimes. He has his father's fighting skill, and some of his mystic abilities, now too. The more he helps, the more the community will turn to him in need. Word of mouth is powerful. I can take him out if you want."

"NO!"

The answer was emphatic, filled with venom. "Not until the father returns. He is the bait, the place where Caine will come back to, eventually. Then, we shall deal with all three at once. After I get what I want."

"The community will object to the loss of the old man," Jack warned, "He is a figure of reverence to many. They will turn to outsiders, to the police, if the Ancient is killed. Besides, his powers are weak. He's an old man who will die soon on his own. Especially when he is devastated by the loss of his two fellow Shaolins."

Bon Bon Hai smiled as he nodded, "So, finally, you are using your head for something other than a Shaolin punching bag. You will continue to keep special watch on what they do and who goes to them for help."

He continued with his business until he got to Moon. "Ah, Moon. There are some problems, are there not?"

Moon was visibly shaken. "It was a minor setback. The person I had thought would be responsive was not. They will not accept a bribe now for some reason. It is not my fault. But there are others I can deal with."

"But none so close to the mayor, I think," Hai growled.

Moon shrugged. It was the wrong thing to do to Bon Bon Hai.

"This is not the first setback for you, Moon. And now I will have to call in favors to kill the man who gives so much good advice to the mayor's office about the Chinatown community. I feel you have outlived your usefulness. Mr. Wong?"

Moon half stood, his face contorted with fear. "You can't do this...."

Jack didn't bother to stand, merely pulling his gun and shooting the man point blank in the chest from the seated position.

Bon Bon Hai tsked softly. "Very messy. And we haven't even had dessert yet."

Looking to Wong, he said, "You will clean this up."

Wong stood finally, wiping the barrel of his gun with his fine linen napkin. "Of course. Then I must go comfort his grieving widow and daughter."

Bon Bon Hai leaned back in his chair as he asked casually, "How will you explain this to them?"

His grin was as nasty as ever as he answered, "Most gently to his poor widow so she can blame the police for not doing their job, keeping muggers off the streets. And most graphically to his daughter who will learn not to trifle with her husband's moods."

"You will risk letting the daughter know you killed her father? That will give her power over you, will it not?"

Jack could see his boss was testing him. "Who will she tell? The police? She will only have my word which I can deny. Or tell her mommy? Her mother is a bitch who will turn on her own daughter for allowing such as myself into the family. Power is only useful in the hands of those who can wield it. I wield it to my advantage with this girl-child wife you have given to me. And I will run the father's business as you wished it to be run. With efficiency and at your service."

The tiger's smile was gratifying. Bon Bon Hai nodded and rose gracefully. "Come, gentlemen, let us join the ladies while our associate takes care of this disorder. You will return when you have finished your business, Mr. Wong. Pretty Chi Ling will not wish to be disappointed by your absence tonight."

Jack bowed respectfully as his boss led his guests out of the room. Then, gesturing to the waiters he ordered, "Give me a hand with the garbage."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"I could use a cup of that if it's some of Blake's industrial strength stuff," said Captain Karen Simms, holding out her mug.

Jody smiled and said, pouring, "Judging from the thickness, I'd say it's just this side of toxic. About right for a morning jolt if that's what you're looking for, Captain."

"That's the plan, anyway. And you? Rough weekend?"

"Lately it seems that my liquid wake-up call is the best part of the day."

"Things that bad?"

Jody shrugged. "Chief has me working on that group of teen prostitute deaths. It's no fun looking at the bodies of children who should have been in school instead of on the streets."

Simms sipped her coffee and gagged slightly as it slid down her throat. "Gad, you weren't kidding about the toxic part, were you? I'm not sure if I should officially reprimand Blake for this stuff or just personally thank him. So, any good leads?"

"One. Rumor has it that all the girls were turned onto drugs and then out onto the streets by the same pimp. Michael Sing. He has a juvie rap sheet that's been sealed but I've run into him before and I have a good idea what's in those records. He's 21 now and can be tried for an adult if I can get the goods on him. Can't think of anyone more deserving of a life sentence."

"Well, drugs, pandering and man-slaughter won't get him that."

"True, but it will get him off the streets and out of our hair for a few years. Maybe long enough for some little girls to grow up safely."

"Keep me posted, Detective."

As Simms turned to go, Jody said, "Captain? I had a good time the other night. Of course, I don't remember much, at least not during working hours, but if you ever need to talk again, I think I have probably more experience with bad relationships than anyone else here. And I'm a good listener."

"Thank you, Detective. I seem to remember feeling much better this morning for some reason. And I'm a good listener, too."

********************************

Jack Wong sat at his desk and surveyed his new surroundings with glee. Moon had spared no expense to furnish the plush office of his import/export business. When Jack arrived this morning, he'd had to depose his mother-in-law who was under the mistaken belief that the business would go to her. Jack had delighted in setting her straight with a thoroughly male attitude about women in the workplace. "I will see that you lack for nothing," he assured her and then went over the funeral arrangements with her and sent her home to grieve alone.

Somehow, he was certain she was not the type to grieve for long, at least not for the man who had dominated her every move, used her for a brood mare, cheated on her and kept her powerless. Now she would have the freedom to live her life, in her own home as she chose. As long as she did not question her son-in-law about the business.

Calling in his new secretary and personal assistant, Jack discussed the day's business with him. The slightly older man was eager to please his new employer and promised to guide him through the unfamiliar business. "That man is back again today. A Mr. LeBec. He says his business with the late Mr. Moon is highly confidential."

Jack considered the meaning behind the words. Probably some kind of smuggler who wanted to take advantage of the Moon Corporation's established shipping setup; possibly profitable for them both. "I will speak with him."

LeBec was tall and rangy, with dark hair and a small, but neatly trimmed beard and mustache. He was dressed expensively, Wong noted. Obviously, they were both men who paid attention to the details. The man was all smiles and held out a hand as the assistant brought him in. "Mr. Wong. I understand you are taking over for Mr. Moon. I'm so sorry to hear about his tragic death."

Jack bowed slightly as befitting his station. "Thank you. It's a sad commentary that our streets are so unsafe that a good man cannot go for a walk without threat to his life. Please sit and tell me what I can do for you."

They settled on each side of the desk and LeBec leaned forward slightly as he spoke eagerly. "I'm here to make an appointment to see your boss. Mr. Bon Bon Hai. What you can do for me is get me in to see him."

Jack considered the man. He was obviously ill-informed. He could have just made an appointment with Hai's organization directly. "What makes you think I'd be any such help to you?"

LeBec shrugged. "I've tried to go through the front door. He won't see me. But I have something for him. Something he needs. I won't show it to just anyone. But your reputation leads me to believe that you are the kind of man who understands an entrepreneur such as myself."

"And what is it that you have, Mr. LeBec?"

LeBec opened a briefcase and pulled out a stack of photos, spreading them out on the desk for Wong to view. "I have a connection to these. The very best armaments. US Government issued. They are slated to be shipped to the Orient to people who do not have any admiration for Mr. Hai and his mission here; people who have spies in Mr. Hai's organization. Which is why I need to speak to him directly, and privately."

The photos were clear and detailed, showing weapons, body armor, ammunition and technology beyond anything they had obtained in the past. These were true weapons of war. Jack nodded in appreciation. "I think you may be right. Mr. Hai may indeed be interested in these. Let me take these photos to him. Do you have anything besides the photos?"

LeBec smiled nastily. "Yes, indeed. I have 3 sets of the body armor, the guns and some ammunition. Enough for an inspiring demonstration at the proper time."

Jack was almost salivating at the thought of a demonstration. He wanted to be holding one of the powerful rifles. "Let me see what I can do. Come back tomorrow morning and we will talk again. Perhaps I will be able to set up a meeting for you."

LeBec stood and shook his hand again. "I knew you were the right man to see. But keep in mind there is a time concern here. I have already wasted too much time and the dealer is getting very nervous. I would hate to see those fall into the wrong hands."

Jack nodded. "I will see you tomorrow, Mr. LeBec," and escorted the man to the door.

As he sat back down, he leafed again through the pictures. The police would go down like flies being swatted with this kind of firepower. They could take over anything they wanted--not just Chinatown, but the entire city. He called his assistant on the intercom and requested a call to Bon Bon Hai's office to set up a meeting for that afternoon. If nothing else, Hai would be interested in the rumor of spies within his system. And if Bon Bon Hai was not interested in the weapons, then perhaps he would show some initiative and purchase the arms himself.

************************************

Kermit was obviously in a good mood. He'd been humming Gilbert and Sullivan to himself all morning. It was beginning to get on Jody's nerves. At least he wasn't dancing around like last time he'd been bitten by the love bug. The humming was annoying enough. Blake said he thought it was downright scary and the rest of the bullpen seemed to agree it was hilarious. Mary Margaret thought it was sweet. "That's what getting it regular will do for you. Puts you in a good mood and makes your skin glow," she sighed, leaning on the edge of Jody's desk.

"And you would know this, how?" Jody asked dryly.

"Oh, come on now, you have to admit, he's a lot easier to work with like this. It was getting so you could hardly offer to pour him a cup of coffee without him biting your head off before...you know, before."

"You mean before he totally forgot he was involved with someone else?"

Skalany looked questioningly at her partner. "It seemed like that involvement was over and done with at the time. You think it wasn't?"

Jody shrugged off the question. She realized she was on slippery ground and didn't want to betray anything Simms had told her. "It was just awfully sudden. I'm sure you wouldn't be pleased if someone you cared about got married right after you broke up with him. How do you suppose the Captain feels?"

"I hadn't really thought about it, I guess."

"Maybe you should. He doesn't have to be so darn happy. It's just plain tactless."

Mary Margaret laughed at that one, going to sit back at her desk. "Tact and Kermit are not generally used in the same sentence."

"He's being more of a jerk than usual is all I'm saying and I don't find it cute or excusable."

Kermit was still humming to himself when he came out of his office and ran into the Captain at the coffeepot. Simms didn't bother to hide her curiosity; she just asked him outright, much to Jody's admiration. "So what put you in such a good mood, Detective? Not that I'm complaining."

"My physical therapist thinks I should be able to drop this infernal sling tomorrow. I'll be seeing the surgeon, and will be in a bit late, I might add. With some luck, I'll also be back on full time."

"Oh, well, that is good news. Especially since we need you for a night stake-out."

Chief Strenlich walked up and handed him a file folder. "Congratulations. You've just been promoted to wino. Here's all the particulars. There's a nice alley with several ripe dumpsters for atmosphere just waiting for your company."

Griffin looked from one to the other. "You aren't serious."

Simms folded her arms, daring the argument. "Oh, yeah."

"I don't do stakeouts. Not unless it's my case from the start."

"It's Chin's case and he needs some invisible back-up. You have the lightest load right now and you aren't supposed to be typing, so it's yours," Simms insisted.

He threw in his trump card. "I'm not back on full-time yet."

Strenlich shook his head. "Doesn't matter. It's only a four-hour shift, after hours behind the Shotglass bar, from two a.m. until six."

"The doctor hasn't cleared me to use a gun yet."

"You won't need a gun. You're just there to watch," Simms told him as she unfolded her arms and turned to walk towards her office.

Kermit followed her, still protesting, "You're going to send me out to spend the night in a cold, dark alley in Chinatown without a gun? Like almost being frozen to death in Alaska wasn't enough refrigerator duty for one year..."

She made it to her office door. "Stop whining, Griffin. It's not pretty and it's sure as hell not effective. The assignment is yours. I suggest you read that report carefully and get together with Detective Chin before you leave today. We won't expect you in tomorrow morning."

With a bright smile, she went into her office, closing the door in his face. When he turned back to Strenlich and began, "Chief...," he got cut off immediately.

"Don't even try, Kermit. It's a done deal. Suck it up and be a man. I suggest you take the dog with you. She can curl up on your feet and keep them warm," Strenlich pointed out.

He was muttering something all the way back to his office when Jody piped up, "So how about some more of that happy music, Griffin. Maybe a chorus of 'Poor Little Buttercup'?" she jibed.

Her answer was a curt snap of his office door closing. "Gee, Chief, I think you ruined his day," she remarked.

"Yeah, well I'm about to ruin your's too," Strenlich assured her, "Another case. Mugging that was found last night. Chin took the initial information because he was close to the scene but his work load is too heavy, so you get the follow-up. Looked simple but Nicky Elder says the body was moved."

Jody leafed through the folder for a minute. "Oh Lord," she breathed, "Did you look this over?"

Strenlich nodded. "Yep. Jack Wong's father-in-law. It smells like three day old fish. How do you feel about working with a rookie on this one?" She shrugged. "Depends on who. I don't like the punk."

"Ryan? Not him. He's going over to vice for undercover in schools. No, I was thinking Luci Kwan would be good to take along to interview the wife. Luci knows the lingo and the customs but she needs a guiding hand. She's a little on the timid side."

"And I'm a walking lesson in not being timid. I get it. Okay. Can we let her work this with just my supervision, maybe? I'm still swamped with the Sing girls."

"Fine with me. But close supervision, okay?"

"Right, Chief. I'll go over to the wife's with her now."

"Figured you might want to get out in the field for a while," Strenlich commented, looking over at Kermit's closed door. He leaned in to say quietly to her, "Seemed like the uncommon cheerfulness of a certain person was getting to you."

She considered her superior's words. The Chief could be as blunt and tactless as Griffin when he needed to be, but for the most part, he had some concern for the people he supervised. "You tell me, Chief. From a guy's point of view. You think what he did was okay? And being so happy in front of the Captain, that's okay too?"

"I'm the last person you should be asking about office romances. I'm lucky Kelly decided to move over to Vice or I could've found myself in the same hot water as the Captain. From what I heard, Simms made the decision. They weren't seeing each other anymore, so as for Griffin getting married, why not? He was free. They're adults. Timing was a little weird but so is Griffin. As for being happy, if you care about someone, really care, then you want them to be happy. I don't begrudge Molly her new boyfriend. And when you come down to it, I think the Captain is made of some pretty tough stuff. She'll be fine."

"Spoken like a true man," Jody retorted.

"Sorry if my opinion doesn't jive with yours. You asked for a man's view. You got it. Kwan is downstairs, helping out in booking. Why don't you go get her and take care of that interview? Maybe the cold air will do your attitude some good."

Jody stood up, grabbing her coat from off the back of her chair. "Splendid idea, Chief. It will certainly smell better out there than it does in here."

As she stalked off to find the rookie, the Chief turned to see Skalany watching him. "You have a clue as to what's going on here?" he asked her.

Mary Margaret shook her head. "Not exactly, Chief. She seemed to be fine until she found out that Kermit got married. Since then, well, she's not really talking to me about it much. Maybe it bothers her that someone like Griffin can find a partner and she's still single. Heck, now I'm not sure how I feel about it, when I think about it that way."

Blake put in his nickle's worth. "It's got to be more than that. She's not the envious type, at least not in the way she's reacting to this. It's like she's taking sides. The Captain's side."

Strenlich pointed out, "There are no 'sides' to take here. And the Captain doesn't seem to be as bothered as Jody is."

"Captain Simms is a professional and she's able to put aside her emotions and go about her business during working hours," Skalany offered. "That's how she got to be a captain."

"I wonder if we should let Kermit know," Blake commented but Strenlich shook his head right away.

"It's not our business. Not any more than it's Powell's business. You might want to remind her of that, Skalany, if you get the chance."

Mary Margaret smiled up at him, "Somehow, I just don't think that kind of advice will have the same effect coming from me as it would from you, Chief. She knows I didn't get to be a detective by minding my own business."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Jody, do you have a minute?"

It was Kermit. He ambushed her at the coffee pot when she was out of hearing range of the rest of the bullpen. She felt a flare of resentment, but pushed it back. She had to work with the man and he was good at his job regardless of how she felt he handled his personal life. She'd tried to draw out the interview with Moon's wife, hoping Griffin would be leaving early since he had that night stakeout. The fruitless interview hadn't improved her mood any.

Following him to his office, she settled into his guest chair and blew gently on the cup of coffee she held. She expected him to have something on the case she was working. He was supposed to be looking for a paper trail on the money end for her. What he said next took her totally by surprise.

"Look, I hate to ask for a favor but Snow needs someone to go with her to find a wardrobe. She didn't have many clothes suitable for city life. Could you possibly find time this week to go shopping with her someplace where she can get outfitted?"

Stunned, she hedged with, "Why me?"

He cocked his head, eyebrows raised, "Should I have asked Mary Margaret? You know how she dresses sometimes. Like a cross between a schoolgirl and a tart. That's not exactly Snow's style. You have.....taste."

"Yeah, I guess a woman who marries a man she's only known for a few weeks certainly wouldn't want to dress like a tart and give people the wrong impression, would she?"

She hadn't really intended to say that out loud but it felt good when she saw his face go blank. Standing up quickly, she continued, "I'm not really the best person to do this. I know I owe you favors, but this is one I can't do, Kermit. You need someone for backup at work, I'm your woman, but keep me out of your personal life, okay?"

She got up and went for the door knob but he beat her there and got in her face. "You have a problem with me, Powell?" he asked softly.

"Yeah, I do, Kermit," she acknowledged. "With you and every other guy who thinks he can just pick up and put down a woman like we were chess pieces for your personal playing pleasure."

It looked like he was waiting for a 10 count before he answered her. "I think you staying out of my personal life is a real good idea. I don't know what came over me; I must be getting soft. Sorry to bother you, Detective. I'll have your report by the end of the day. Don't let the door hit you on your sweet little ass on the way out, but be sure to close it after you."

He backed off so she had a clear path to the door. She didn't answer him, biting off a retort that he could take his door, and his private office and his private life and shove all three of them. She just swung the door wide, leaving it open as she went back to her desk, hearing him slam it behind her.

Skalany looked up as she sat down. "What was that all about?"

Jody shrugged. "The usual," was her cryptic answer and put her head down to avoid any more questions.

Blake and Mary Margaret exchanged glances, but didn't pursue it further.

*****************************

Jody had caught him completely by surprise and he didn't like the feeling. He'd expected some resentment from Simms of course, but it never occurred to him that any of his co-workers would have strong opinions about his situation. He wondered briefly if Karen had said anything in particular to Jody. But Karen wasn't the kind to work through an intermediary; she tackled things head-on, herself. More than likely it was some kind of 'sisterly' sympathy Jody was dealing with and he'd been on the receiving end.

Peter had never let his knowledge of his former partner's feelings for him ever stop him from flaunting his love life. Well, he hadn't really flaunted it; however he'd never made any attempt to hide it either. But it had to have affected Jody. She had just never let it show so openly before. No wonder she felt for Simms. What it meant was that he'd have to be careful about introducing Snow to her. She was certainly entitled to her opinion but he'd be damned if he was going to stand by and let Jody tear into Snow for something that wasn't her fault.

It also meant he had to move on to Plan B. Except he didn't have a Plan B. Marilyn was too far away to come in for a day of shopping. And he wasn't ready to introduce Snow to the family, anyway. He would eventually take Snow out to the Gables to meet Marilyn on her own turf where she'd feel less threatened by this interloper who'd stolen her brother. An idea occurred and it almost made him laugh. Well, it was the best choice he could come up with and he reached for the phone, hitting a speed dial number. "Annie? Kermit. Yes, I'm sorry. I've been meaning to call again. No, no news other than what I told you last time. Well, she's getting along fine so far. That's why I'm calling. She needs someone to take her shopping for some city clothes. Could you find some time to go with her?"

He listened to her for a minute, smiling. "Yes, I remember you're blind. But you don't walk around naked either. That I'd remember. Maybe one of the girls could go with you to help out? I hate to ask knowing how much they despise shopping for clothes....."

He laughed and then listened for a bit longer, finally nodding as he said, "Okay, why don't you drop by for lunch at Peter's? She's a good cook. And if you feel comfortable with her, then you can offer to take her. I won't say anything in case you decide against it. And not that I want to influence you, but you are my last hope, you know. I don't have a lot of female friends I can count on."

And he'd lost one more today, he thought to himself.

"Thanks, Annie. Yes, I'll call the minute I get anything. You know I do. Let me know what your impressions are, okay? No, I'm not going to divorce her if you hate her. I'll just know not to bring her around too often. Oh, yeah. Thanks. You're a peach, lady. Bye."

*******************************************

"Fork left, knife and spoon right, on top of the napkin, bread plate at 11 o'clock and wine glass at 1 o'clock, Oh, and I always cut the wine with soda before the dinner hour, if you don't mind," Snow said to Annie as she set down her plate in front of Peter's mother. "Chicken salad in the middle of dinner size plate with greens all round. Care for a croissant?"

"No thanks, I'm cutting back on carbos for a bit. Trying to keep my girlish figure so Paul will recognize me when he comes home. Sounds like you've been around blind people before," commented Annie as she reached for her napkin.

She could almost hear the warmth in the answer. "One of my best childhood friends was handicapped," Snow told her. "She died a couple years back. I still miss her."

"How old were you when you met?"

"All of 6. My mom had met her mother through a clinic and they invited her to my birthday party out at the commune where we were living. She didn't have many friends because she'd been in and out of hospitals quite a bit for most of her life."

Peter put in, "That was a really nice thing to do. You must have been a pretty sweet little kid."

Snow laughed, "Me sweet? I didn't invite her. I hated her on sight. She called me a name I didn't understand, but I knew it was an insult so I punched her. Almost knocked her out of her wheelchair."

Annie choked slightly on her wine and the tone of Peter's horrified voice almost set her to laughing out loud. "Let me get this right. You hit a blind child in a wheelchair?" he confirmed.

"Damn straight," answered Snow. "Hey, I was only six and she had a mean mouth. And my father looked just about the same as you do right now, Peter. Boy, did I catch it for that one."

She took a bite of her salad, letting him digest the information. Annie hid a small smile behind her napkin. "How could you.....? How did you become friends then?" he asked, confused.

"Well, first, my folks blindfolded me for twenty-four hours so I'd know what it was like to be blind and not be able to see a punch coming. Then they borrowed April to teach me how to get along without eyesight. I told you my parents were, uhmmm. progressive in their parenting style," Snow explained. "April took every opportunity to make sure I messed up, including throwing a few punches back. That was the worst 24 hours of my life, not including my first day here, of course. Ah, no insult intended, Peter."

"None taken," he mumbled, mouth full of chicken salad.

Annie was giggling out loud. "How did you two finally work it out?" she asked.

"Well, she'd been so mean too, her mother convinced my mom to keep us together out at the commune for a week. We had to share everything. Chores, clothes, food, toys. Eventually, we just realized we had a common enemy---our parents, and we called a truce. Besides, we both hated feeding those damned, smelly sheep. She told me years later that she loved me for that punch. It was the first time anyone had ever treated her normally."

"I had a friend like that when I was a teenager," Annie confided. "We hated our parents for a few years, too. Although the most trouble we got into was sneaking out to go up to the malt shop with the guys next door. And you, Peter, will not mention that to Paul, if you don't mind."

"Hey, I'm a priest. We don't tell tales. Especially not when properly bribed." "Fine," Annie agreed, "You won't tell him that one and I won't tell him about the time you broke the neighbor's window with your hockey puck."

Peter laughed. "I didn't even remember that. I was going for a dinner invitation but I'll take that deal. So what ever happened to the guy?"

"I believe he's a senator now. And speaking of invitations, I wonder if you would be interested in a shopping trip, Snow? My daughter Carolyn is going to be needing some maternity things soon, so we were thinking of going to Nordstrom's department store tomorrow. They have some very nice clothes."

When she didn't get an answer right away, Annie added, "Yes, Kermit called me. He seems to trust my taste in clothing, although, technically, it's Carolyn's taste mostly these days."

Besides her own guess that Snow was wondering what part her husband had played in the invitation, Ann could sense that something more was going on between her foster son and his student. Peter spoke up, "I'm sure I could excuse you from lessons for a couple hours in the morning. If you can have her back here by lunch, Mom. Kermit will be here at noon tomorrow for lunch. I have an appointment."

"Well, sounds like it will be convenient for everyone, then. Thank you, Annie. I appreciate your kindness."

There was something in the tone of her voice that told Annie that maybe she could use someone to talk with. Someone with whom she could talk freely about her husband. And perhaps about her teacher. But that could wait until tomorrow.

Annie let Peter help her into her coat. "I like her," she informed him. "She's bright and honest. While I'd question the timing, it doesn't seem like Kermit's made a bad choice. What is it about her that troubles you so?"

Peter smiled wryly. Trust Mom to see further. "She's having trouble...adjusting to city life. She's not happy here. And Lo Si thinks that she and Kermit have some kind of destiny. That really worries me."

"Destiny? Whatever does he mean by that?"

"I don't know. But, generally when Lo Si is being obscure, it means trouble," Peter sighed, "and the more obscure, the bigger the trouble."

Annie adjusted her purse and took out her collapsing cane. "Oh, dear. Well, destiny could mean just about anything from well, babies to a major disaster."

"Aren't babies generally a major disaster?" quipped Peter, "Okay, Mom, taking that back. Just joking. In my case, destiny meant a change of career. Nothing that could be qualified as good or bad, just different. Maybe she's just meant to settle Kermit down and keep him from going back to the mercenary life. Whatever it is, please understand that it's confidential. Some people look at me funny when I start talking about abstracts like destiny. We aren't advertising it."

"Of course, dear. Let's hope it's something simple," Annie said. "And let's hope that cab is ready downstairs or I'm going to miss my hair appointment. Walk your old mother down, will you , son?"

"Of course," he said as he took her arm to wrap around his and led her to the stairway.

************************************

Bon Bon Hai leafed through the photos Jack Wong had spread out on his desk. "Interesting," he commented. "And this man says that I have spies in my organization?"

Wong answered, "He didn't say who though. Perhaps he doesn't know any names. At any rate, I thought you might be interested in meeting with him."

Hai nodded. "I am. When will you be seeing him again?"

"First thing in the morning. 8 o'clock."

"Fine. Go with him to get the samples and bring him to me as soon as you get them. Insist you will go along with him. I want to know where he is keeping them."

"So you will be buying the arms?"

Hai looked at his protege. "Would you?"

"Of course."

"Why?"

"If only to keep them out of the hands of my enemy."

Hai smiled. "Very good thinking. Would you use them here? Against the police?"

Wong shrugged, sensing a trap. "Perhaps. If the situation warranted it."

Bon Bon Hai leaned back in his chair and folded his hands as if in prayer. "What kind of situation do you think would warrant this kind of firepower?" he pressed.

Wong hesitated. It must be a trap. He thought quickly and decided to offer his thoughts out loud, hoping to impress his boss. "Well, once they are used, the police will know that we have superior firepower. Illegal weapons. They will know they cannot beat us and they will have to call in Federal help. So they can only be used once; after that the surprise element is gone and they will become a liability. So I would say a situation where superior firepower is needed such as for an escape. Or for a trap."

"You are finally learning," Hai breathed, seemingly pleased. "Consider the best use of the weapons for a trap and get back to me later with some ideas. In the meantime, do not neglect your duties watching the Shaolins."

"I have reliable sources on both, Master. They are discreet."

"Good. Until tomorrow," he dismissed.

Jack glanced over his shoulder as he left and caught sight of his boss who was now standing at the credenza to one side of his desk. He was caressing the bell glass that covered the large book which rested on a stand there. The Book of Shambhala. Jack had seen it work. The thing gave him chills. He couldn't understand Hai's fascination with it. The awful thing should be burned, he thought. But somehow it represented power to Hai. Power his boss had held briefly until the Dark Warrior, whoever that was, had been defeated by Caine and his son. Power that Hai desperately wanted back. Jack almost snorted. Who cared about such mystical, uncontrollable things anyway? Give me plain old money and I'll be happy, he thought to himself as he quietly closed the door behind him. Money would get him anything he wanted.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It was a strange combination of familiar and novel when Peter donned his gray gee and soft boots for the first time in so long. His father had left behind several nice, silk practice suits, most with the crane or tiger symbols but he couldn't bring himself to wear them that morning. The practice grays were not quite so immediately connected to his father and besides, it would remind him that no matter if he were a teacher this time, he still had much to learn. Peter was warming up in the exercise area when he heard the door open behind him. Feeling the Shaolin vibrations, and, assuming it was the Ancient, he continued to go through the forms.

"Very nice," spoke a voice, gentle and low. "Now shave off all that unruly hair and you'll really look like a Master."

He whirled with a grin. "Master Kahn!"

Stepping over to greet his former teacher, he took his hand and slapped him on the shoulder at the same time. "Good to see you. And I'll be glad to let you shave my head. If you think you can hold me down and shave at the same time."

Kahn laughed. "I probably could, but not without bloodshed. On both our parts. I'll wait and help when you ask for it."

Peter ran an affectionate hand over the man's bald pate. "Expect a long wait. So what brings you to my neighborhood. Checking up on me for my Pop by any chance?"

Kahn gave a Shaolin shrug with a mysterious smile. "Perhaps."

They were interrupted by a squeal of delight. "Master Kahn!"

Snow stood in the doorway of the stairs that led to the upper rooms. Kahn shot an astonished look to Peter who introduced, "My first student and an old student of yours, Snow Murdoch Griffin."

She practically danced across the room to fling herself into his arms. It didn't surprise Peter. Kahn had been the favorite teacher of all the students at the temple. The man's gentle strength and humble manner had endeared him to all the boys. Kahn hugged her warmly. "Snow Murdoch...little Snow from the Hogg Farm? My goodness, has it been that long? You're all grown up."

"You haven't changed a bit. Aren't you supposed to be old by now?" she teased.

He held her back at an arm's length while he looked her over. Peter knew exactly what he was feeling. Kahn looked to Peter for a second for confirmation. "You've changed, little one," he told her.

She instantly sobered. "You knew," she accused.

He nodded. "That's why I taught you to protect yourself."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

He shrugged. "I couldn't be sure that part of you would ever awaken. Or how it would manifest itself if it did. But I did know that any girl could use some self-defense lessons."

"Well, you'll be glad to know they came in handy a time or two. But for the most part, I was too plain for the boys to bother me much."

Kahn gave her a look and took her hand. "Nonsense. You have great beauty; the kind that doesn't come from bottles. Peter said you have a different last name? Married, I take it? Someone else must have seen what I see."

Peter spoke up for her, "Kermit Griffin. One of the detectives at the 101st. I think you met him that time Pop went AWOL at the casino and you came by the precinct to tell me about his past experiences with...ah, cards."

Kahn looked surprised. "The mercenary? Oh."

"Not the kind of man you'd expect a 'peacenik' to marry, huh?" Snow commented.

"Well, he's...rather intense."

"Was that a nice way of saying he's violent? Trust me, he has his gentler moments. And when it comes down to it, I'm a little surprised myself. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time."

"Then you are right to trust your heart."

"Thank you, Master. So have you come to watch me humiliate myself?" she grinned. "It's been a long time since I've done anything other than Tai Chi and I'm certain Master Caine is going to find me woefully lacking. I'll probably be spending most of the time on my backside on the mat."

He smiled. "I'm sure you'll pick it up quickly again. But actually, I came to ask Peter a favor."

"Anything," Peter offered immediately.

Kahn looked grateful. "Let me tell you first, before you agree. Some of the regulars at the gym have been after me to start some basic Kung Fu classes for their children. But the atmosphere at the gym there isn't right for youngsters. I was hoping you'd let me hold them here. And perhaps, teach a class or two yourself."

Since he'd been tossing the idea around himself, Peter was delighted to endorse the plan. They made arrangements for Kahn to come to dinner that evening and hash out the details. Snow gave him another hug and a 'student' bow before he left.

"All, right. Time to work. Let's start with some warm up forms," Peter instructed her, "How are your shields holding?"

She closed her eyes and he knew she was running the scanning exercise he'd taught her. "Feels secure."

"Fine, let's start," and he began to lead her through her paces.

*****************************

The cafeteria was as elegant as the store itself was; every detail tastefully designed to make the customer's shopping experience a pleasure to encourage return visits. Conversations around them were subdued as shoppers took coffee or early lunches. Annie sipped a cup of tea, but Snow opted for some caffeine-loaded cappuccino to offset the soporific effects of the Ancient's sense-dimming herbal infusion she'd quickly downed before leaving the brownstone. Peter's foster sisters had departed for a quick trip to the maternity section while Annie and Snow rested after having arranged to have their purchases put in their car.

"Now that's what I'd call commando shopping," Annie remarked. "I think my charge card is still smoking from the friction."

"Umm," Snow agreed as she sipped her drink, "Although I'm still not sure about that little black dress."

"Every girl needs at least one little black dress. Besides, Kelly is positive Kermit will love it and she's picked out a few numbers for me that Paul really liked."

"Well, it's a little flashier than I'm used to."

"You said all you had were flannel shirts and jeans. Anything would seem flashier compared to those."

Snow laughed a little. "You got me there. I guess I need to take a few fashion risks and compared to what I've seen here today, at least it was a lot more subdued."

Annie could hear her shifting in her chair as she continued. "Either these chairs are really uncomfortable or that last throw we did this morning bruised my fanny," Snow complained.

"Sounds like Peter's teaching methods are a little enthusiastic. Perhaps you should talk with him about it?"

"I think it's the Shaolin training in general. They're pretty rigorous, but living in the bush was no picnic either. I'd like to believe I'm tough enough to take it."

"I think you'll find Peter's quite easy to talk to, about almost anything. He's always had a lot of depth for his age and since he became a priest, he's found a calmness and an openness that's very comforting."

Knowing their private time was short, Annie decided to push for some more meaningful dialogue. "While we're on the subject of my son, yesterday, when I invited you to come shopping, did you hesitate because he and Kermit arranged it for you? Because, if that's what you're thinking, I want to assure you that I wouldn't have invited you along if I didn't want you here. Kermit has been a very special friend for a long time and I'd like to get to know you."

Snow was very quiet for a second as if Annie's frankness had surprised her and Annie worried that she had gone too far, too soon. She amended quickly, "I hope you aren't offended, but I can't read body language. I can only go by your tone of voice and it seemed yesterday that you were a little...bothered."

Snow's tone was lightened somewhat but still serious. "You see better than my thick-headed husband does. Not to insult your son or your friend, but, yes, I am bothered by the way they are planning my every move. When Kermit and I talked about marriage, we agreed that here in his element, he needed to be in charge. I just didn't realize it was going to be every aspect of my life. I know I need some help, but I'm feeling... I don't know. Overwhelmed, maybe. I feel like now he's even selecting my friends for me. Not that I'm rejecting your friendship."

"Of course," Annie agreed. "I can understand. That would make me downright angry. He can be a little tactless sometimes."

Snow's tone held the barest suggestion of a giggle. "Oh, good. That would indicate that he'd been tactful on occasion and I'm glad to hear it since I haven't seen any practical demonstration of it yet. Not that it was a requirement when I signed up."

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you marry him?" Annie inquired softly.

Snow sighed. "It sounds stupid but I really couldn't help myself. There was this instant connection we made from the first moment he opened his eyes. He literally trusted me with his life. And when the time came for him to leave, I found I didn't want to live the rest of my life without him. Nothing else seemed important to me anymore. To tell you the truth, I rather like that attitude he gives everyone and everything he hides under it. I would have agreed to come without marriage but he insisted he wouldn't play house."

"Then he must have wanted you very badly if he thought he needed a legal reason to keep you here."

"No piece of paper could make a difference to me. I'm here because I want to be with him."

"I'm glad to hear that. Kermit's an extraordinary man and he deserves someone who can appreciate him."

"So you think his Captain Karen didn't?" Snow asked.

It was a loaded question and Annie paused to think before answering, unsure of how much she could confide. "I would like to keep this just between us, if you don't mind. There are some things it's better the men don't know. But I never thought Karen Simms was what he needed. I've met her several times and I respect her abilities as an officer of the law. She's a strong, independent woman. And I welcomed her as a special friend of Kermit's. But I believe that, sooner or later, they would have been at odds. Kermit does things his own way--there are some areas where he can't compromise. I know because Paul is the same way. If Kermit ever did to Karen what Paul has done to me, she take a leave of absence and follow him and he wouldn't like that. You spoke of trust earlier. I trust that Paul knew what he was doing when he left me behind and I trust that he won't stay away a minute longer than he has to."

"Kermit has told me a lot about his past and I don't pretend to understand all of it but I do know that I'd be out of my element. If he told me he had to go away for a while, I'd miss him terribly but I certainly wouldn't insist on following him."

"Perhaps that's the critical difference between you and Karen Simms."

"An interesting thought. But I have to admit, I'm still terrified to meet her and the rest of his precinct friends. I keep imagining her as this 'Xena-like' goddess of power. Someone who could truly be his partner."

"Maybe he didn't want a partner. Maybe he was looking for a wife," Annie suggested. "But, I'm surprised he hasn't introduced you to his co-workers. I mean, if you were just dating, I could understand but...well, he should have taken care of that right away."

Snow jumped to his defense, "It's not all his fault. I haven't been ready to meet people. All these crowds around me. Well, I'm just…not ready. Heck, I didn't even own a dress or anything. Couldn't face all those urbanites dressed like a hick, could I?"

Annie could tell there was something more but she decided not to push. Whatever the reason, it seemed serious to Snow and she would wait until Snow was comfortable enough with her to talk on a more personal level. But she could hear the low self-esteem that vibrated under the woman's tone. She'd have to speak to Peter about this. "That wouldn't have mattered to Kermit. Seems to me he's happy with you as you are. But, you have a nice choice of clothing now so there's no excuse. And I know Karen Simms is an extremely well-mannered, warrior princess. I really don't think she'd offer to arm wrestle you for him."

"Too bad," Snow commented and Annie could tell by her tone that she was feeling better, "I've been chopping wood for years. I could whip her ass. That would put an end to it."

Annie reached for Snow's hand and ran her sensitive fingers over the engraved surface of the wedding ring she examined during the car ride downtown. "This put an end to all that already. I've known Kermit for a long time. Believe it."

*********************************

"Peter. Why didn't you warn me?" Karen Simms greeted him almost angrily.

Peter stood to hold a chair for her at the cafe where she'd arranged to meet him for lunch. "Warn you what?" he asked, confused. "And good afternoon. Nice to see you, too," he added, sitting down.

She seemed to be getting a mental grip on herself for a second before she apologized, "I'm sorry, I seem to have misplaced my manners. It is good to see you. It seems I'm dealing with the occasional mood swing here and there."

Peter reached to take her hand, subtly reading her Chi as he asked, "Besides that, how are you doing?"

"I'm just dandy. I can't eat. I can't sleep. I want to hit something."

The vibrations of her Chi reflected her honest self-appraisal. "Or someone?"

"Or someone in particular," she agreed. "I'm sorry. I'm sounding very not like me and I don't like it much. I just wish you could have given me some warning before Kermit came into my office and blurted out that he'd gotten married."

"I did. I told you he probably wouldn't be receptive to continuing a personal relationship. I had no idea he was going to get married and no opportunity to warn you ahead of time. Not that I would have, because it was his job to tell you, not mine. And it sounds like he chose an essentially 'Kermit' way to do it. How would you have liked him to tell you that kind of news?"

"I would have liked to have him tell me he'd made a terrible mistake," Karen snarled, pulling her hand from his.

Peter waited for her to get her emotions back in control. The waiter's arrival provided a well-timed distraction. He ordered a turkey sandwich knowing he'd be eating vegan for dinner with Master Kahn and when she tried to order just tea to drink, Peter insisted Karen try the soup. As the waiter left, she asked, "Has he?"

"What are you asking me, Karen?"

"Has he made a mistake? Or is she... right for him?"

"I'm not sure that's a fair question and not sure I'm qualified to answer it anyway."

She wavered for a second like she was going to get angry again but held it in check. The professional demeanor came back into control. "Don't give me that line, Caine. I'm not asking for a professional psychiatric evaluation here. I'm looking for your opinion, which I happen to value. I just want to know if she's like that last woman he took up with. Is it some kind of infatuation? A rebound fling? Or does he really care?"

"Will knowing make a difference in how you feel? Or in how you deal with your feelings?"

"Yes," she answered immediately. "If it's right for him, then at least I don't have to feel guilty about messing up his life along with my own."

"You have nothing to feel guilty about. Kermit's life is his responsibility, not yours. And you've hardly messed up your life. This is just a slight change of direction and what you are feeling is temporary."

"I know all that. But I still don't know the answer to my question."

Peter shook his head at her. "You are like a bulldog sometimes. I would guess that Skalany has told you by now what she looks like and you've run a background check on her, haven't you?"

Simms looked uncomfortable. "You make me sound like a stalker. I just wanted to be sure she wasn't some... underground radical wanted for bombing colleges back in the 70's. Please. Just answer my question. Is she what he needs?"

The waiter brought their food and set it before them to be ignored while Karen's eyes pleaded for something Peter knew would hurt and heal at the same time. "Yes," he finally said. "It's just my opinion, but, yes. They seem to be well suited to each other. I believe he genuinely cares for her."

Simms closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them, saying, "Well, that's something at least. I know you're right about these feelings being temporary. But I almost feel like it hasn't really ended. And somehow, until it does, I can't figure out exactly how to move on."

"Right now it's a concept. You haven't grasped the reality. You haven't seen them together. I think once you meet her, it will make all the difference."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Good morning, Mr. Hai. A pleasure to finally meet you, sir."

Bon Bon Hai carefully appraised the man who stood in front of him, hand extended. He considered putting the man in his place immediately by not taking the hand offered but then decided to play along until he was sure he had what he wanted from this round-eyed scum. LeBec was tall, dark, and smoothly polished in an almost oily manner, but Hai took his hand to shake, ordering, "Mr. Wong. Get Mr. LeBec a chair."

Then he surreptitiously wiped his hands while the man made himself comfortable in the chair placed in front of Hai's desk. Wong returned to his place, standing behind the two heavy duffel bags he'd helped LeBec drag in. "So what do you have for me today, Mr. LeBec?"

LeBec smiled. "Much. Information, a warning, a gift and an offer."

Hai leaned back in his chair, elbows rested and his hands folded almost as in prayer. "So?" he invited.

"First, a warning. You have spies in your organization, Mr. Hai. And your enemies in China are almost ready to move against your interests there."

"Do you have names, Mr. LeBec? Or evidence to back up these claims?"

"Of course. That's where the offer comes in. I am offering my services and the information for a price."

"What price?"

LeBec hedged. "Let me tell you what I am offering and then tell you what price I put on those services. That way you can better judge if it is of value to you."

Hai nodded agreeably so LeBec continued as he pulled a sealed envelope from his inside jacket pocket. "In here, I have a document. A copy of a transmittal to your enemies in China. On it is a name of the man in your organization who sent it. There is also a copy of his bank account showing how much your enemies pay him. It is, shall we say, sensitive information which he has sold to your adversaries, the disclosure of which will not please you. My services not only include providing you with this information, but also with the removal of this spy in a most discreet but...final way."

"An interesting combination of services, Mr. LeBec. "

"There is more, Mr. Hai. I also have information about an arms sale to your Chinese opponents. I know the dealer well, and can provide you with a connection to him. One that will bring you the arms shipment and as many more as you wish in the future. Taking this shipment will prevent the assault on your overseas interests."

LeBec leaned forward, "Think of it as hiring a contractor. Much as you would hire a pest control company to take care of rats. And..."

He turned to Jack and indicated the duffel bags. "...before you hear my price, let me offer you this free sample. Your's to use any way you wish. More available when you need."

Hai nodded to Wong and he bent over, unzipping the bags to spill out the contents. They lay on the plush carpet, a tangle of black malevolence like an evil, many-legged creature. Guns, body armor, ammunition, scopes, night sights. Hai got up to look as Jack picked up the pieces one at a time to hand over for his boss to examine.

"And the price?" Hai asked as he sat back down at his desk.

LeBec pulled out a pen and reached for the scratch pad at the end of the desk. He scribbled two numbers on it and pushed it across the desk to Hai who smiled as he read them.

"The first number is my fee for all the services, information, disposal and an agent's fee for the arms. It is to be deposited to a Caribbean account," LeBec told him. "The second number is what your enemies have offered for the shipment. You will need to beat that amount to take them. The dealer insists on payment in gold. And, one last thing. This arms dealer will not ship here. He only sells and delivers to foreign countries. If you wish to use them here, you will have to bring them back yourself and use them discreetly or he will not deal with you again."

Hai's eyebrows raised. "A very strange policy."

LeBec shrugged. "It's his way. But he carries only the very best. Some legitimate from the US Government and some, shall we say, that has gotten lost. He is very powerful and has many connections."

Bon Bon Hai looked again at the paper. "I agree to your price and your terms. Leave your gift here and the number of your account with my secretary. Mr. Wong will meet with you tomorrow with a statement showing the proper wire transfer and you will give him the information about the spy. Then you will carry out your plan for disposal of that spy. He will accompany you to observe and so he may report to me directly when it is accomplished. Then you will contact your dealer and make arrangements for us to meet."

Hai stood up and offered his hand first this time but more as a dismissal than respect. LeBec seemed not to notice the difference. "I look forward to a long and prosperous association, Mr. Hai."

LeBec took the time to stop and shake Jack's hand, too, before he left. Hai came over to where Jack was caressing a big automatic rifle with a look akin to love or, at the very least, lust.

"And you, Mr. Wong. My dear Jack. What plan have you come up with for these things?" the tiger almost purred to his protege.

"You wish the return of Caine. What better way than to threaten his son with something too powerful for him to handle?"

Hai smiled. "Go on."

Jack shrugged. "My... our export company has a ship leaving in a few days, late at night. I propose that two reliable men and myself go and shoot up Caine's place with these. Leaving him unharmed, of course. Or mostly. Then we take these things and put them on the ship, sending the evidence away where it can not be traced. And he contacts his father in a panic, seeking help."

"Interesting. But perhaps not enough incentive. Isn't there a place where the people of the 101st Precinct meet frequently? Chandler's, I believe?"

"Some still go there. Lately they have been seen more often at Delancy's"

"Ah, yes. I have been there. They over-cooked my steak. You will find a way to persuade Caine to visit his friends there. And then shoot it up. Peter Caine will be more concerned about the threat to his friends than to his own life. If anything can make him call for help, that will."

Jack's smile was pure pleasure as he caressed the weapon. "I hope he gets thirsty for a cold one real soon."

**************************************

Jody pulled her collar up around her neck and turned her back to the wind that rampaged up the narrow alleyway. Next time she let Donny Double D set up a meet for her, she was going to insist it be inside. At least until summer anyway, she thought, as she paced to keep warm. She was envious of TJ who, in spite of being huddled against the building, looked toasty in his new parka. Kermit's trip to Alaska had inspired him to catalog shop the Internet and he'd been showing it off when Donny called her, so she volunteered him to be her backup.

She'd spent a lot of time out on the streets a few nights ago, putting out the word that she'd protect any of Michael Sing's girls who wanted to talk. It had paid off when Donny arranged a meeting with two of Michael's regulars. But they were late and she was almost ready to call it off when she saw two very young and very pretty girls slip quietly into the mouth of the alley. They were both dressed for the weather in long fur coats. Michael must have been making quite a bit of money for his girls to be dressed that way, Jody thought to herself as she walked towards the girls. She saw TJ straighten up as she glanced back, loosening his jacket as if wanting easier access to his gun or badge. She had both of hers in her coat pocket. After all, it was still Chinatown.

"You Detective Powell?" asked the obviously bleached, platinum blonde nervously.

Both were just slightly unsteady on their feet and it might have been their spike heels on the uneven pavement but the dilated pupils signaled drug use to Jody. "I am. Detective Jody Powell. That's my partner, TJ over there. And you are...?"

"Jackee," she answered and indicated, with her head, the dark-skinned, dyed redhead next to her, "That's Tracy."

"Not THE Tracy?" Jody inquired although she knew the girl had to be too young to be the legendary Tracy, a local troublemaker.

"No, girlfriend," the girl grinned, "My momma gave me that name."

"Yeah, you're just a wannabe," Jackee needled. The redhead gave her a push. "You shut up."

"You shut up," the blonde pushed back.

It looked like it could turn into a girl fight so Jody stepped quickly between the two as she said, "Hey, enough of that. Didn't you come here to talk to me about something?"

Both girls looked shamed for a second and Jackee resettled her fur, flicking imaginary dust off the sleeve. "We heard you gonna offer protection if someone tells you 'bout Mikey. That true?"

"All true. You have to tell us what you know and prove what you're saying. And be willing to say it in court, in front of him. I know it sounds like a lot but you'll end up clean, we'll help you get a real life and Michael Sing will be behind bars where he can't get to you ever again."

The two girls looked at each other as if weighing the odds, so Jody pushed a little harder. "Is your life so good, you wouldn't take a chance to change it? Did you hear about the last girl's body we found? They said her name was China. Did you know her? She was beaten pretty badly before she OD'd. Seems like it's getting to be a little dangerous to be one of Michael's girls."

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

Michael Sing stepped into the alleyway and strolled towards them, hands stuffed casually in his jacket pockets. Behind him, two bully boys followed. As procedure when faced with a possible threat, TJ moved up to stand behind Jody but off to one side where he'd have a clear shot. She could just see him out of the corner of her eye, silently letting her handle her case, but giving her an encouraging nod to let her know he was ready.

Sing stopped between his girls and reached to put hands on their shoulders. "What kind of women stand about yakking in the streets, idling in alleys? Someone might mistake you for cheap street whores and you could get hurt. Besides, you girls are going to be late for work."

Jody could see her case disappearing in the fearful eyes of the girls. She folded her arms resignedly. "What's the difference between street walking and what you make them do, Michael?"

He straightened up, giving her a dignified look. "I'm a legitimate business man. I run an escort service. It's all perfectly legal."

Jody snorted. "Yeah, right. And I'm Madonna. Are these girls of legal age to be working for you?" she accused.

He gave the girls a little push back towards his accomplices and they reluctantly went. "Don't answer her, ladies. You've already been to my place of business, Detective. And when you produced a warrant, I showed you all the employment records I keep, as required by law. If these women have lied to me about anything--their ages, their addresses--I don't know about it. I've done all that is legally required of me and I'm about to press my legal rights not to be hassled by the police if you continue to accost my employees. Now if you don't want to have the mayor's office being served by my attorney's, I suggest you lay off."

"I'll be glad to lay off, Sing. When I get a suspect in custody for three murders. Three of your employees, in case you don't remember. I should think a legitimate business man would be concerned about how that looks to his customers. And it's hard to find good help when you have to offer hazard pay incentives."

"Those were tragic suicides, officer. Sad cases, but not the norm."

"Michael! Michael Sing, you bastard!"

The girl's voice came from behind them. Sing's eyes grew wide and he took a step back towards his goons. Jackee and Tracy reached to hold each other in fear and the men loosened their jackets. Jody and TJ turned to see a young woman come out from where TJ's car was parked. She must have slipped through one of the businesses that backed up to the alley, Jody thought as she eyed the small gun the girl held in both hands.

Tracy called out, "Vikki? You crazy, girl? Put that gun down. These are the cops."

Vikki shook her head and tears began to course down her face. All her focus was on her pimp. "I've had it with you, Michael. You promised. You promised and promised, but you lied."

Jody spoke up quietly to try to get the girl's attention. "Your friends are right. We're police. Put down your gun and let us talk with you. If you have some problems with Michael, we can help. If he needs to be punished, we can do that for you. Legally."

Vikki finally looked at Jody. The girl's eyes were so dilated, it was amazing she could still see in daylight. She was slurring her words slightly as she answered, "Legal? Everything he does is legal. He gets away with murder and it's legal because you call it suicide."

Jody shook her head. "They haven't all been ruled suicides yet. The last case, China, is still open and we're investigating. If you'll tell us what you know, we can make sure he won't get away with murder."

Taking a step forward, Jody held out her hand. "Please give me the gun. We'll talk about this. I promise you'll feel better in a little while."

The girl's eyes unfocused for a second as she said quietly, "I feel good right now," and she pulled the trigger.

Jody saw it coming and dropped, pulling her gun at the same time. There were screams behind her and a shout from one of the men. A bullet ricocheted off the wall beyond the girl who flinched as she moved her aim to her left. Towards TJ, thought Jody as she swiftly brought up her gun to defend her partner.

She'd seen Peter do his 'sparrow's eye' shots before. Deadly accurate. And she'd spent hours at the firing range with him, trying to acquire the same skill. Honing in on the girls hand, she fired. But Vikki lurched forward and the bullet caught her between the ribs. The force knocked her off her feet and she crumpled to the ground, gun sliding from her limp hands.

TJ reached her a bare second before she got there, his cell phone out calling it in as he felt for a pulse. Jody pulled an evidence bag from her pocket and used it to pick up the gun, sealing it before anyone could touch it.

"Send an ambulance, but tell it not to hurry," TJ said.

TJ's words were like cold hands gripping her throat. Sing was standing behind her and she waited for him to say something. Something for which she could legitimately hit him. "Thank you, Detective. She was obviously deranged."

"And the drugs you gave her had nothing to do with it, did they?" she snarled, taking a menacing step closer.

He backed up, hands up as if to fend her off. "I don't have any control over what my employees do on their off hours."

"Like hell," Jody answered tightly as she turned back, kneeling over the girl to brush a stray lock of hair from her face.

TJ got up to go over to the two men, one of whom still had a gun out in plain sight. "I hope you have a license for that," he commented as he had the man drop it in a bag.

A tearful Jackee and Tracy moved closer to look at their friend who lay saturated in her own blood on the dirty ground, There was a slight wisp of steam in the frosty air from the still warm body. "Oh, girlfriend, you done be as stupid as they get," said Tracy sadly.

"You still want to go back to work for this guy?" Jody asked as she stood, silently praying the girls would turn.

Sing piped up, "Of course they won't be working tonight. Not after a tragedy like this. They're too upset, Detective. Take the night off, girls. You can stay up at my penthouse and relax there."

He pushed at them as if to hustle them off, but Jody stopped him. "Not just yet, Mr. Businessman. They'll need to make a statement. As will you."

"Of course, detective. And I'll be sure to mention how bravely you defended me."

Fortunately, TJ was close enough to grab her arm before the blow connected. "It's not worth it, Jody," he cautioned her.

Then he ushered Sing and his people away from the body, to stand aside and let the arriving police cars and ambulance enough room to pull into the alleyway. Strenlich was first out of the cars, coming to Jody with open concern on his face. "What happened?" he questioned.

They watched the EMT's bending over the body to examine it and one brought over a blanket to cover her until the coroner's photographer arrived.

"First Sing showed up to screw my deal with those two girls and then she showed up with this," Jody told him, offering him the evidence bag. "I hardly had a chance to talk to her before she started shooting. They said her name was Vikki. She was stoned up to her eyeballs. I took her down. I was aiming for her gun hand but she moved."

The chief took the bag and patted her on the shoulder. "It happens. I see Sing is still standing. Too bad she didn't have better aim. Did TJ shoot?"

Jody shook her head. "I don't know for sure. You'll have to ask him. It happened too fast. But there was at least one other shot. Could have been one of Sing's bodyguards."

"Okay, look, why don't you get out of this wind and sit in my car to start filling out your report. Clipboard is in the back seat. You know the procedure, don't you?"

She nodded glumly, "Yeah. Badge and gun until Internal Affairs reviews. You want them now?"

"No, turn them in with your report back at the precinct."

As she began to walk away, he called her. "Jody?"

She stopped, looking back towards him. "Yeah?"

"We win some, we lose some. It all balances out in the end."

She shook her head. "We're just losing this time."

And she turned away towards the car, away from the loss.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

She could have gone to Delancy's. Chances were that someone from the precinct would be there for her to talk with. Except she was tired of talking. What she really wanted was just to get very drunk and forget the entire day. So she went to Chandler's instead, thinking she'd have the place to herself but she was wrong. There, at the end of the bar, staring into a glass of scotch on the rocks, was Karen Simms. Jody hesitated a minute and then, taking her drink, went over to her, saying, "Care to get plastered with me again?"

"I'm half toasted already. You'll have to do some catching up. This could be become a habit, Detective. It would be sad to think we could become regulars around here."

"It's only pathetic if we drink alone," Jody informed her and then offered a toast, "To the crappiest day I've had all year. May it be over soon."

Simms raised her glass, "Amen," and downed the contents.

"I take it things did not go well.," Simms half asked.

Jody shook her head negatively. "You were gone when I came back. Her parents came to identify the body. They are threatening lawsuit, just so you know. Report's on your desk."

"That's too bad but from what I got earlier, they don't have a prayer. It was a righteous shooting. Too many lives were at stake and you did it by the book. You have nothing to worry about," Simms assured her.

Jody's ironic laugh was more like half sob. "Righteous. Oh yes, and by the book but the kid is still dead. Turns out she was only 14. Young enough that she might have turned herself around. But I put an end to that, righteously of course. No worries."

Karen ordered them two more drinks and said, "I've never killed someone so young, so I don't know the exact feeling. But I have killed. It's part of our job, Jody. It's not pretty but it's important. Don't write off all the lives you saved today by sacrificing that one life. Yes, she counts but so do all the others. Like TJ. Wasn't he in the line of fire? Would it be any better if it were Commissioner Kincaid in the morgue identifying the body? And what about those two other girls? Maybe you can still help them."

"I've already said it all to myself. It just doesn't help much right now. TJ told me he didn't have his gun out in time, so you're right, it could have been him. Or one of the girls who wouldn't have deserved it either. Or Sing, if there was any real cosmic justice. But I can't help thinking that there was something else I could have tried. Something I should have said. Some way I could have convinced her to put down that gun. I just keep replaying it over and over in my head."

It was Karen's turn to half laugh. "Boy, do I know that feeling. Over and over, replaying the past. Wishing I'd said or done something else."

It was obvious what had brought Simms back to Chandler's.

"How many times do you think we'll punish ourselves with hangovers until we forgive ourselves?" Jody asked.

"When it comes to my personal life, I don't seem to learn very quickly. I'd guess it's going to take me a couple times at least. I had lunch with Peter today. He suggested that I wasn't facing reality yet."

"The words 'Caine' and 'reality' just don't seem to belong in the same sentence. He's getting more like his old man everyday."

"I can't argue that one, but it's not a bad thing. He sees things, seems to know things I'm feeling without asking. He believes that once I see them as a couple, it will help me have some closure. I find the idea so repulsive, it must be true."

"So, does that mean you are going to be at Delancy's when he brings her in to meet everyone or not?"

Simms nodded. "Have to go. I jilted him. Otherwise, I look like the jilted one. Have to be able to keep face with my team, too. So, I shall be gracious and classy. While I mentally scratch her eyes out."

"Oh, I've so been there. I'm certain it can't be as satisfying as really getting to scratch their eyes out would be," Jody sighed.

"Ah, ha. I'm hearing echoes of Love-'em-and-leave-'em-Peter Caine here," Simms commented, sipping at her drink.

Jody laughed, grateful for the change of topic. "I'm so obvious, even when I'm sober, aren't I?"

Simms nodded her head in assent. "I can't blame you. He does fill out a pair of Levis pretty well, not that I've noticed or anything," she drawled.

They both dissolved in a fit of alcohol-induced giggles.

**********************************

"Caine! Peter Caine? I want to talk with you, Caine!"

It was late and Peter had already gone to bed but he got up in a hurry when he heard the tone of Jody's voice. Something was very amiss. Since he was fairly well covered in his sweatpants and tee-shirt, he got up barefooted and didn't bother to pick up his robe as he went to find out why she'd come so late at night to see him. He met her in the dim hall where she stood, one hand on the wall to steady her. She smelled like she'd been bathing in alcohol and he could see the wild vibrations of her chi. In all the time they'd known each other, he'd never seen her like this. "Jody, what's wrong," he asked quietly.

"Wrong?" she said loudly, "Why ever would you think something is wrong?"

"Shhhh. I have company tonight. Why don't we go out here and talk?"

He reached to take her arm gently, but she shook him off. "Oh, sorry. I didn't know the Shaolin Stud Service was back in business. Somebody new or is Jordan back? Or did Kelly lose her self-respect and decide to let you jerk her around again?"

It hurt the way it was intended but he considered her condition. "It's not like that. Snow is staying over while Kermit is on his night stakeout," he explained. "We can talk out here without disturbing her."

"Oh, by all means, let's not disturb anyone. Especially not someone who's already caused enough disturbance. No indeed. Let's give her the consideration she hasn't bothered to give anyone else."

There was no doubt in Peter's mind that Snow had been hearing every word so far. He hadn't a clue why Jody was so angry with someone she'd never met, but, drunk or not, he wasn't about to let her continue. She needed to be distracted, fast. He reached for her arm again but didn't let her shake it off as he pushed her into the kitchen.

"Let's have some tea," he suggested firmly, picking up the teapot to fill with one hand while he held on to her.

She was feebly trying to push his hand away as she sulked, "Don't want any tea."

"Well, I do. You said you needed to talk to me. So talk."

He got her to sit down at the table and took out two mugs and tea for them while the water heated. She sprawled ungracefully in the chair and, dragging her purse off her shoulder, tossed it on the table. "I'm tired of waiting for you," she told him. "That's what I came here for. Because I want you to know I'm tired of waiting for you."

He went to sit in the chair next to her. "Waiting for me to do what?"

She continued as if she hadn't heard. "I needed you to be there tonight and, as usual, you weren't. You find time to talk with Captain Simms when she needs you. You're here for Kermit when he needs you to babysit his new babe. You're here for everyone in Chinatown but they don't even want you. They want your father, not you. I want you. Wanted you. But I'm too tired to wait anymore and I'm giving up. So that's it."

She got up and headed for the door, stumbling on her second step. He was up, steadying her, instantly, but she pushed him as hard as she could. "Don't," she ordered, balancing herself carefully.

Then she looked him in the eye and began to cry. "Just don't touch me. I can't stand it anymore. For God's sake, why couldn't you ever see?"

He took her into his arms, against her weak objection and let her cry on his shoulder. "Maybe I couldn't see because the timing wasn't right. Or maybe I just couldn't deal with what I did see. It doesn't matter right now. What matters is I am here for you right now. Tell me what happened and don't put me off, because I know this isn't all about me. Something else is very wrong."

She was holding on to him the way ivy clings to a wall. "I killed a girl today. She was only 14. She woke up this morning and got out of bed and was walking around, talking, eating, laughing. She should be tucked in bed by now, dreaming about the Backstreet Boys. Instead, she's tucked away in a refrigerated box in the morgue and I put her there."

"Why?"

"She had a gun. She was going to shoot the son-of-a-bitch who turned her on to drugs and showed her how to take money from strange men to get more drugs. I should have let her do the world a favor and kill that bastard. Instead she's dead and he's walking around scott free."

"Did she give you a choice?"

Jody shook the head that was buried in his damp shoulder, her answer a muffled, "No."

Peter sighed and stroked her hair, holding her tightly. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. At least in time to stop you from trying to drown everything in...what is that smell anyway? Gin?"

She pulled back a little to look at him and he picked up a dish towel to dry her face. Hiccuping the answer, she told him, "Vod...ka. Straight vodka. I guess you're above that kind of stuff now."

"Not really. I'm not giving up cold beers on hot days, that's for certain."

The whistle of the teapot interrupted them. "Go sit and let me make you some tea and we'll talk about this."

She sat back at the table and laid her head down on her arm. "I'm starting to get a headache," she complained.

He brought the tea to the table. "That's no surprise. I can guarantee you you're going to feel a lot worse before you start to feel better. Sip on that tea. It will help."

She took a swallow and put her head back down. "I'm tired. Too tired to talk. Too tired to cry anymore. I guess I should get another taxi to take me home. I should get some sleep since I have to be coherent enough to talk to Internal Affairs tomorrow."

"Don't worry about IA. I've been through it more times than I care to admit. The anticipation is the worst part. Stay here tonight. We can talk in the morning when you're feeling up to it."

He stood up to take her hand and helped her up. "Thought you said your guest bed was full up," she commented sleepily as she leaned on him.

"It is. You're coming in with me."

"Peter Caine who refused to sleep with me is now taking me to his bed," she said, feigning shock as he led her down the hallway to his room.

As they stopped in the doorway, he told her, "I don't want to you feel alone anymore. Someone once asked me if I had ever considered that two people could sleep together for other than sex; just to share warmth and comfort. Care to find out with me?"

She looked over to the rumpled futon bed, dimly lit from the hall lights. "No sex?"

He shook his head negatively, stroking her hair again. "You're in no condition to make a decision like that tonight and I'd like to think I'm still a gentleman. But I care about you, Jody. Come on, let's get some sleep and tomorrow, things will look differently, I promise."

She nodded and he led her to sit on the bed while he helped her take her shoes and stockings off. Taking her jacket to lay on the chair, he went to lie down next to her and pulled the blankets up over them as she snuggled into his arms. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"For what?"

"For not throwing me out. You should have."

"I don't treat my friends that way. Now go to sleep."

************************************

She took a deep breath before pushing through the door, into the lounge area of the ladies room. Mary Margaret was facing the door, and the woman who could only be Snow Griffin had her back to the entrance, busily reapplying lipstick in the mirror. Skalany's eyes got big and she looked like she had just been handed the keys to her Daddy's DeSoto. Simms let her enjoy the moment for about two seconds before she said quietly, "I think you'd better get out there, Detective Skalany. I heard someone calling for you."

Skalany stammered, "Oh, well, we'll be out there in a minute...."

"Out," Karen cut in, holding the door for her.

"Um, I'll see you...." she muttered to Snow as she scampered out quickly.

Simms let the door swing shut. "I hope you don't mind. I just thought this would be easier without any audience."

The woman shrugged carelessly, her back still turned. "In here or out there. No difference. At least not for me."

"Well, I have to maintain 'face' with my troops."

"I can understand that," Snow commented.

Simms could see her reflection was being appraised by the woman. "You don't quite fit the description," Snow continued, "I expected someone...taller."

"He didn't say anything about you. At least not to me."

"Ah, well, that's Kermit. He was under the influence of some pretty strong drugs for a while there. He sang like a bird to me," Snow told her.

"Oh, so that's the trick. Drugs. I'll have to remember that next time I'm trying to trap a man."

She could see the reflection of Snow's bright green eyes narrow ever so slightly. "Well, don't believe everything they tell you when you do have them drugged. After all, he told me you were a class act."

"Ouch. Guess I deserved that one. This isn't going well, is it?"

Snow shook her head. "Not really. What's next? Girl fight?"

"Probably not. He'd shoot me dead if I laid a finger on you."

"I'm not as fragile as I look. Hothouse flowers don't make it on their own in the Alaskan bush. But he wouldn't be happy with me if I hurt you either. He still cares about you."

"Really? Not that it shows. Or that I care if he does."

Snow smiled at that one. "Liar."

It shook her. To mask her reaction, Simms sat down carefully on a dainty vanity chair. "Moot point then. He married you."

"He respects you, cares for you and he spends more time with you."

"Sounds like one of us needs to go. But I'm not ready to give up my career."

"And I'm not ready to give up my marriage. Sounds like a stalemate."

Karen shook her head negatively. "No. I concede defeat. Marriage is a serious business. He and I both know that. If he married you, then you are what he wants. Not me."

"Are you so sure," the woman hissed and she finally turned away from the mirror to face her rival.

Karen gasped as she finally saw the face, not the reflection. It was her own face but with very different, very green eyes that burned brighter and brighter, melting into numbers....

Karen Simms woke up with a sharp jerk, heart pounding and realized it was her morning alarm going off. The green luminescent numbers flashed as the buzzing wavered in the darkness of her bedroom. She got up, smacking the clock to silence it. Then she studied her dim reflection in the mirror. Well, it certainly wasn't difficult to interpret that dream. "You are not your own enemy," she told herself, "And that woman who married the man you thought you wanted isn't either. So stop this nonsense and get on with your life. If you really want a man, go get one that's available."

******************************

Jack had sneaked a look at the bank statement he was turning over to LeBec. It was a huge amount of money. LeBec was close to drooling on the paper as he examined it in the motel room. He had three men with him; his associates, he'd called them without any name introductions. All three were giants, topping even LeBec's rangy height and twice his width. Folding the paper, he tucked it into his jacket pocket and pulled out the sealed envelope from yesterday. "Everything seems to be in order. Here is the evidence for Mr. Hai. If you will check the name on the transmittal, I believe he works in Mr. Hai's office."

Jack tore open the envelope and checked the papers. It was one of Hai's executive officers, Chen Lei Wa who had sent the information. Yes, it made sense. The man had access and much of his family was still in China. It must be him.

"The easy way is always the best way," LeBec commented. "Perhaps he would agree to meet you for tea this morning to talk business. And when he comes downstairs with you, we shall take him for a ride in our car."

Jack nodded. "All right. That works for me. I can drop this off at Mr. Hai's office before I take Wa. He'll want to know." LeBec smirked, opened the door and gestured towards the rental van with smoked windows. "Let's do it."

In the van on the way over, LeBec asked about the weapons and if Hai was pleased with them. "We haven't used them yet," Jack informed him. "But most likely tonight if my information is correct."

"You aren't going to use them here for a job of some kind, are you?" LeBec asked incredulously.

"Yes, we'll be using them to put the fear of...Bon Bon Hai in a certain Shaolin priest. Then they will disappear before the police have a clue."

"I've heard of a Shaolin here in Chinatown. One who works minor miracles and helps the poor."

Jack nodded. "This is his son, who is not quite what his father is. At least not yet. Bon Bon Hai wants the old man to come back to Chinatown where he can get a hold of him and we plan to make him return to save his son from mysterious threats. There will be no way he can connect us to what will happen tonight."

"You'll kill him?"

"Not if I value my life. No, Hai wants him nervous enough to find where the old man has gone and get him to return. Bon Bon Hai will want the pleasure of killing them himself when he's through with them. That old Shaolin coot makes him crazy."

"Humm, perhaps I can help things along," LeBec commented, a wicked gleam in his eye.

"Forget it," he ordered LeBec, thinking the man might be trying to weasel his way into position as Hai's right hand man. "I have it under control and I don't need you or your gang of oxen here to screw things up. You wouldn't have a clue about what you'd be dealing with."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Jody woke slowly, her senses coming alive one at time. The first sensation was the awful taste in her mouth from having drunk too much the night before. Next came the wonderful scents she associated with Peter and the warmth of his body cuddled next to hers. She felt his soft breath on her hair and listened to the muted thump of his heart where she lay with her head on his chest. Finally she opened her eyes carefully, squinting against the early morning light. It hurt. For a minute she let herself stop thinking, closed her eyes again and just cherished in the feeling of waking up next to Peter Caine, wrapped in his arms, feeling gloriously safe from the world.

Opening her eyes, she looked for a clock and, finding none, wiggled smoothly from the arms that held her so gently. Padding quietly to the bathroom first, she swallowed a couple of aspirin for what was promising to be a positively hammering hangover. Then she followed the scent of coffee to the kitchen. Since Peter was still asleep, it had to be Snow making the coffee and she had to admit, she was curious about Kermit's new wife.

Jody took a roundabout way to the cold balcony where she could watch the woman through the open doors without revealing herself.

She was little, but not young, with a few stray gray streaks in the long brown braid that fell down her back. Definitely not beautiful, but kind of attractive; pretty much as Mary Margaret had described her. Dressed in jeans and a tee shirt, Snow was chopping vegetables and tossing them into a large fry pan on the stove, stopping to shake the pan now and then. A delicious aroma wafted out to the balcony making her salivate. Well, Kermit and Peter had both mentioned her cooking, Jody thought to herself.

"Something smells good," a voice spoke out, startling her but not Snow who just looked up and smiled.

Kermit came into view, coming from behind Snow to hug her. Almost unrecognizable, he was disguised as a street person for the late night stake-out he'd been assigned. His hair was oiled back with a few curls escaping to fall on his forehead. A three-day growth of stubble hid his face along with the requisite sunglasses and an old, stained coat completed the disguise.

"Well, it's certainly not you! Gad, you reek," complained Snow as she cringed from his embrace. "Let me turn this off," she continued as she pulled far enough away to set her cooking aside.

He scratched at the stubble on his jaw. "Yeah, we caught the perp last night and the son-of-a-saxon threw the weapon into a dumpster. Guess who had to climb into four of them to find it?"

"Well, go take a shower and I'll take care of burning that coat while you're in there," requested Snow, backing further away from him.

He grinned at her, grabbing her to hold her tight against him, "What's the matter? You don't like the way I smell? What? Does this mean the honeymoon is over?"

"Kermit! Stop it. This is disgusting."

Snow put both hands up to push him away and he immediately yelped in pain. "Ouch! Hey, you're hurting my shoulder. Don't move," he ordered her in a serious tone, his head cocked to one side.

But he still had the goofy grin pasted on his face and didn't let go of her. Jody couldn't believe what she saw next. The woman froze immediately, dropping her hands to her sides, complaining, "This isn't fair." He chuckled and nuzzled her neck, saying, "It's my job to disabuse you of this notion that life is fair."

When he moved to kiss her lightly, she bit his lip. "Ouch!" he yelled again, this time for real.

"What's wrong?" she grinned back at him, dancing away with a giggle as he let go of her. "Was I not being fair?"

Moving like lightening, he grabbed her again and pinned her up against the counter. "You're going to have to pay for that," he threatened and this time kissed her for real, deep and hard and it was obvious Snow liked it by the way she kissed him back.

Jody felt suddenly like a voyeur and backed slowly, quietly away so as not to disturb them. As she turned into the hall, she bumped smack into Peter who appeared to be waiting for her.

"I, um, was just coming back to wake you," she told him, lamely.

"I was awake. Just thought you might like the chance to meet Snow on your own," he offered.

"She was busy."

Peter smiled and leaned one shoulder on the wall. "I can guess. I heard Kermit come in."

"I didn't mean to spy on them. It just happened before I could move. They were......hell, I don't know......playing."

It must have been the expression on her face that made him laugh out loud, "Yeah, it's a bit unnerving to see Kermit doing something normal. Not what you expected, was it?"

"I don't know what I was expecting," she told him honestly.

"I get the feeling that maybe you were just too caught up in Captain Simms' point of view to give them a fair shake."

Jody nodded. "But you have to admit she didn't get a fair shake either."

Peter looked down at his feet a moment before answering. "It wasn't the kind of news anyone could tell positively. But she made the original decision not to pursue the relationship. It's no one's fault that she changed her mind too late. But beyond that, you know both Karen and Kermit have strong personalities. It would have caused clashes eventually. They both recognized it when they parted, before Snow ever came into the picture. Maybe your strong attitude about this really stems from your own feelings; having to watch someone you care about being with someone else."

It was so carefully worded but so full of meaning. Jody's heart skipped a beat or two as the emotions flooded her. "Maybe," she said softly, looking deep into his eyes, wishing she could accurately read what she saw there.

He straightened up and put an arm around her shoulders. "Come on," he invited, "We'd better get in there and get some coffee before they get too involved or it's going to be really embarrassing."

"Good idea," she agreed, grateful to put off dealing with even more confusing feelings, "You he might forgive, but me he'd probably feel obliged to kill."

Peter stopped short of the doorway and, grinning at her, called out, "Is that coffee I smell?"

As they entered, a flushed Snow was moving to the counter to pick up coffee mugs and Kermit was pulling his coat back around him, hands jammed into the pockets. "Jody. This is a surprise. You're here early," he commented and then, as if overcoming his astonishment to remember his manners, formally introduced them. "Snow, this is Detective Jody Powell. Jody, Snow Murdoch Griffin."

Snow looked up from the pot of coffee she'd been pouring into mugs and nodded, saying, "Pleased to meet you, Detective. Would you care for coffee?"

"Yes, thanks," she answered, taking the mug that was proffered.

"Master Caine?"

Jody's eyebrows went up at that, looking to Peter, but he calmly accepted the cup and gestured to the table. "Shall we sit?" he asked Jody.

She went towards the table, looking at Kermit as she passed by. He was back to his old guarded self, silently accepting the coffee mug his wife handed to him. "This is an interesting look for you but I'd lose the cologne," Jody needled him as she took a seat.

"Thanks for the fashion review. Trendy never does work for me. I think I'll go get a shower. Snow?" he questioned, looking ever-so-slightly suggestively at her.

She shook her head negatively and went back the stove. Kermit paused and then, setting down his coffee, went to lean over Jody, saying quietly, "Whatever issues you have with me, aren't with her. Do I make myself clear?"

Jody nodded. "I may be vying with you for 'Jerk-of-the-Year' but I'm not entirely stupid. And if it will make you feel any easier, I'm thinking I may have been wrong about some things."

"Go ahead and get your shower," Peter suggested. "We'll just be having a nice quiet breakfast, okay?"

Kermit seemed satisfied with both their responses and went to snag his coffee mug again as he left.

If Snow saw or heard anything, she didn't show it. "I'm making veggie omelets this morning if that suits you, Master?" she said to Peter as she brought a plate of croissants to the table for them.

Jody couldn't stand it any longer. "What is with this Master stuff?" she asked.

Snow answered before Peter could say anything. "I'm Master Caine's student. It's the proper address for him while I'm under his instruction."

"It's not my idea," Peter put in somewhat chagrined.

"But it is proper," came a voice from the doorway as Lo Si entered, the white wolf by his side.

Snow bowed to him as the old man came past her to sit at the table and she brought him a tea pot and cup. Radar padded past them to go to her water bowl in the solarium before lying down. Smiling, Snow asked, "And who is it proper to feed first, Ancient Master?"

"As the eldest, I am the first to be fed unless I wish to drink my tea before I eat. In this case, you may feed the guest first," he instructed indicating Jody as he picked up his cup.

She nodded and turned to Jody to offer, "An omelet?"

Jody was appalled. "You don't have to serve me. I don't care what these two macho guys think; this isn't the old country."

Snow laughed out loud. "Relax. I'm not doing anything I don't want to. I was an inn-keeper for a long time and I'm used to being cook and waitress. Perhaps you'd feel more comfortable coming out to the kitchen and helping me put your omelet together?"

"Resistant as I may be to sticking the 'wemmenfolk out in the kitchen where they belong,' I think I'd like that. The testosterone at this table is getting to me," she accepted and got up to follow Snow into the cooking area.

"Great," muttered Peter, frowning at Lo Si who grinned back at him.

"Sometimes it is more difficult to be served than it is to be of service," Lo Si commented, as if attempting to sound sage.

"Oh, drink your tea," Peter told him, exasperated. "Master."

In the kitchen, Jody picked out a variety of vegetables that Snow had chopped and dumped them into a small pan to quickly saute while Snow cracked eggs into a bowl. "So what exactly is Peter teaching you?" Jody asked as she stirred.

"Mostly how to meditate properly and a little self defense. How to cope with all this chaos around me. Bringing me up to date with important initials like ATM's, DVD's, HMO's. Reminding me about city things I haven't had to deal with in a long time like 'Walk' and 'Don't Walk' signs. I almost got flattened by a bus my first day here. That kind of thing. And partly because Kermit is paranoid about leaving me home alone too much, I think."

Jody smiled at that. "Well, yes, the words 'paranoid' and 'Kermit' are probably technically interchangeable, but he's saved my bacon a few times because of it. So have you always lived out in the middle of nowhere?"

"Only for about the last 20 years, give or take a few. Anchorage and Fairbanks are modern cities and I used to get out there once or twice a year but generally not for long. We traveled quite a bit when I was younger while my mother was setting up her midwife clinics all over the West. I lived in communes from the time I was a baby until I went to college."

"Really? Communes? What was that like?" Jody asked, watching Snow dump the egg mixture into a small pan.

She shrugged. "Okay, I guess. I didn't know any other way of life. There was always lots other kids to play with and a lot of fun. Discipline was a little scarce, but I acquired enough to get through a few years of college. It was nice always having an adult to give you attention when you wanted it."

"Humm, I'd guess so. What's that you're putting on there?" she asked as Snow dumped something on the veggies before she folded the omelet.

"Garlic sour cream. Give it a try. I've never had one come back," she recommended as she slipped it onto a plate to hand to her.

Jody turned towards the table with her meal and then stopped to offer, "Want help with the rest?"

"No thanks. Enjoy while it's hot."

It was delicious and she complimented Snow when she brought the Ancient's meal to him. As Snow brought in Peter's, Kermit came in freshly showered and shaved to take the next, eating in the kitchen standing up and talking quietly with Snow. He was dressed down in a tee shirt and sweatpants but the glasses were firmly in place, no doubt for her benefit, Jody thought. When Snow finally fixed her own meal, she and Kermit went out into the solarium to sit together. After breakfast, Peter took their plates to rinse and put into a small dishwashing machine. "I bet your father would be having a cow over that," she commented, making Peter smile.

"Probably, but I'm not ready to give up all the conveniences yet and I only have one full-time student to slave drive so far."

Lo Si wandered out quietly, taking Radar with him again as Peter and Jody picked up the kitchen area.

Kermit came in with their plates to put in the machine while Peter went to talk with Snow in the next room. "Heard what happened yesterday," Kermit commented casually, leaning back on the counter. "Tough break."

Jody nodded. "You ever have to kill a kid?" she asked him.

"Oh, yeah."

She read the pain in that softly spoken phrase. "How did you come to terms with it?"

He almost smiled. "Who says I have? You just live with it because the only alternative is totally unacceptable. You aren't the kind to draw your gun without good reason. I'd be willing to bet you had no choice."

"Did you?"

"Probably not."

Then as if brushing away cobwebs of clinging memory, he shook his head and straightened up to tell her, "Don't let IA intimidate you. Don't be afraid to be honest and say I don't know. Only liars have all the answers. Now if you'll excuse me, it was a damned, long night and I'm beat."

He turned towards the doorway. "Snow. Come on," he demanded.

She came to tuck herself under his arm and as they walked out, Snow said, "Nice to meet you, Jody."

"You, too," Jody answered and she sincerely meant it.

Peter came to her and, putting an arm around her, said, "They're going to lay down for a while. Kermit hasn't slept in almost 24 hours and he doesn't have to go back to work in till this afternoon. And Snow said she didn't get much sleep last night."

Jody snorted. "Couldn't have had anything to do with a noisy drunk, could it?"

He hugged her a little, "I'm sure she's not holding it against you if that's what you're thinking. I think they'll take any excuse for some time alone together. What do you say we get out of here and give them some space? Knowing Kermit, all the hot water is probably gone anyway, so why don't I drive you over to your place so you can have a quick shower and change. Then we can go for a nice long walk before your appointment with IA."

"Sounds good to me," she agreed, knowing that a long talk with Peter, now that she was sober, would be what she needed more than anything or anyone. "You know, she commented, "speaking of slave drivers as we were earlier, he really orders her around a lot. She always jump when he says frog?"

Peter nodded, leading down the hall to the stairway, "Uh huh. Could you see Karen putting up with that?"

Jody snorted, starting down the stairs, "No. Not for anything or anyone."

"I think it's part of what makes their relationship work. He may look like he's just bossing her around, but they have this unbelievable level of trust in each other. And, can you honestly say, after you saw how they are together, that you don't think there are some feelings involved?"

"No," she admitted, "I can see now that they care for each other. I just didn't want to believe that he could forget Simms so quickly. Is that, like, a guy thing?"

Peter laughed as he opened the door of the Stealth for her. "No. I'm sure he hasn't just forgotten. But you move on and the new feelings overwhelm the old. The old feelings aren't always totally gone but they get...softer. Same as when you're scared or hurt or guilty. With time, they get softer."

And she knew they weren't talking about Karen and Kermit anymore.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"See that one over there? The fat one? Watch. I'll throw this way out and he'll be the first one out there," Peter told her.

He threw the bread crust far out on the half-frozen pond, beyond the loose grouping of ducks, geese and a couple of swans that had lingered to winter-over where food was plentiful. As predicted, the pudgy bird was there to snatch up the piece of bread ahead of the rest of the flock.

"Chubby, but fast. Or maybe just really greedy. I named him Oswald. I don't know why--it just seemed to fit." Peter took Jody's hand again and they continued to stroll around the edge of the pond.

"So you're on a first name basis with the locals, eh? You must come to this park pretty often," Jody remarked. "I never even knew it was here."

Peter shrugged. "Yeah, I guess I do. I come when I want to think about important things or sometimes just to be alone. I've never brought anyone else here."

"Not even your father?"

"Nope. He showed up once, looking for me. But I told him he wasn't invited and he respected that and left. Didn't have the chance, or the reason, to ask him back."

"In that case, I'm honored."

"There's a big willow tree up here that has a spot just right for sitting and thinking. In summer, all the branches hang way down and the leaves make like a curtain all around. It's cool and private and only the bugs and the ducks know you're there. Of course, it's not quite as comfy when it's this cold, but it'll block the wind for a bit."

"Well, there you go; no heat, no bugs. There is an upside to being out here freezing our butts off. And I thought you were just trying to get me to chill out, literally."

The sun was creeping steadily up, almost to it's zenith and the slight winter angle caught it's rays in the frosted scenery, making everything sparkle in the cold. No one else was brave enough to defy the temperature in the park this morning and with the snow absorbing the city sounds, the silence was sublime. He pulled her towards the tree and then, putting his back to it, placed her in front of him. "Now, look out there. Towards that island in the middle," he instructed her. "Tell me what you see."

He put his arms around hers and held her close, resting his chin gently on her shoulder, his cheek next to hers. She closed her eyes for just a second, the better to capture the moment. Then, she did as he asked and looked at the small hummock that was dusted with snow in an ice-locked portion of the pond. "It's a lump of frozen dirt and dead grass," she commented, "What is it I'm supposed to be seeing there? The loneliness of our individual psyches? The certainty of death? The promise of spring? How we're each an island in the middle of nothing? What?"

"All the time I was coming here as a kid, I'd look at that lump and I knew it was something significant but I couldn't figure it out. Then, one day last year, when I was sitting here and trying to cope with some crap or another, it dawned on me. That hump is exactly the same shape of Strenlich's head from the back."

She burst out laughing and whirled around to give him a playful smack on the arm. "Oww!" he complained, as he cringed from her.

"You rat! You really had me going," she laughed. "I really thought you were being serious."

He took her in his arms to hug and hold her. "I am. I wanted you understand that even though I came here all the time to think and mediate and try to work things out in my head, all I ever got here was a respite. I never solved anything just by thinking about it. The answers are all out there."

He gestured to the cityscape that intruded beyond the tree line behind them. "It's good to stop and think about things but all the thinking I did here didn't make my life different. When I left, everything was the same as before I came into the park. I just had to live through it all. It was making those day to day decisions that made my life different."

"One little decision, one that can change your entire life in a second."

"Life is like that. Instead of waiting, you could have left that alleyway. And none of the players in that scene would have been there. That girl could have approached Sing on a crowded street and ended up blowing away some innocent bystander instead. You just don't know. Jody, you didn't make a bad decision. You did what a cop is supposed to do. You drew your gun and fired to protect the public and your partner. We didn't take any oaths just to protect the people we judged worthy of our protection. It's everyone or no one."

Jody put her head down on his shoulder. "I just wish I could have done something else."

"What? Like heat up her gun and make her drop it?" Peter suggested.

She straightened. "No. That's you and your dad's gig. No, I just wanted to find the right words to say to her; words that could have persuaded her to just think a little."

He put his hand to her cheek. "She couldn't think, Jody. The drugs wouldn't let her. Daniel Webster didn't have enough words in his dictionary to persuade her."

"I know it in my head. I'm just having a tough time convincing the rest of me."

"Ah, now that's where that other element comes into play--time."

She sighed, "Yeah, yeah. Time heals all wounds. Time wounds all heels."

He kissed her forehead. "You got it. Now let it just happen."

She stared at him oddly.

"What?" he asked.

"Will it ever be our time, Peter? Are you ever going to really kiss me?"

He ran a finger down her cheek. He'd been expecting this subject to appear this morning. It had to, after last night.

"I did."

 

"When?"

"The day I left the precinct."

"That was just goodbye."

"No. It wasn't."

"Refresh my memory?" she offered.

He pushed the hair from her face where the chill wind had displaced it. "I don't want to take advantage of your current vulnerability, Jody. You need moral support, not a crutch. When it's right, we will both know it and it will happen."

"How do you know unless we make it happen? It didn't happen for your father and Skalany. Or for Kermit and Simms."

"My Pop and Mary Margaret have yet to fulfill their destiny. Kermit has found his and today, Captain Simms will find hers only she won't know it right away. Trust me on this. I can't tell you how I know; I just do. Chalk it up to one of those Shaolin things. Same way I know that when you and I are ready to broaden our friendship, we will. And, the same way I happen to know that the Ancient is making some of his famous mushroom soup right this very moment. How about we go over and invite ourselves to lunch?"

"I'm not sure I can eat."

"It's just soup. You can handle that much. And I'll get him to make you some chamomile tea to relax you a bit for this afternoon with IA. And as for those IA jerks, just picture them all naked when you talk to them."

His words did as they were intended to and made her giggle. "Can I picture them in boxers or some kind of underwear at least? It's going to be right after lunch, after all."

"All right, as long as it doesn't stir up any prurient interest on your part."

He took her hand again and they headed past where the ducks were pecking for crumbs. She commented, "Kermit mentioned something about the Ancient's teas. He wasn't particularly complimentary about the flavor, as I recall."

"Yeah, well, Lo Si actually likes you," Peter grinned. "That can make a difference."

*******************************

"Well, as usual, I'm up to my ass in alligators," Karen Simms murmured to herself as she shifted one stack of papers from her desk to her 'out' basket and dumped the rest of the 'in' basket in front of her.

"Excuse me, Captain Simms?" and a gentle tap on her doorframe caused her to look up from her work.

The woman in the doorway was dark-skinned with sparkling dark eyes, a mop of curly, dark hair and a bright smile.

"Yes," acknowledged Simms as she stood up, "Can I help you?"

The woman came in, stepping lightly for all her curvy bulk and held out a hand to shake. "I'm Shawna Watts, from Catholic Social Services."

As Karen shook her hand, it felt to her that this woman had to be someone's mother or, at least, should be. "I'm sorry, did we have an appointment?"

"No. But I was out and thought I would stop by and see if maybe you had some time for me. I'd like to talk to you about Mary."

"I could use a break from paper pushing. Please, have a seat, Ms. Watts." Simms invited as she sat down herself.

Her guest pulled the chair a bit closer and sat heavily in it. "Wee oooh, these new snow boots are killing my feet," the woman confided in her. "It feels good to get a chance to sit for a while. Just call me Shawna, please."

Simms smiled. "So. Mary, did you say?"

"Yes, that's what we named her. Mary Doe. Not very original but it seemed fine for a baby girl no one wanted on Christmas Eve."

"Oh. OH."

Karen realized they were talking about the newborn she'd found as the baby's mother abandoned her in an alleyway near the precinct. "Last I checked she went into foster care, didn't she?"

"Yes, she was placed temporarily. But her foster mother doesn't like to keep the littlest ones too long. Gets attached to them and she can't take on any more. The social worker at the hospital indicated in her notes that you seemed to be quite concerned for little Mary when you turned her over."

"I was. It had been a....disruptive night. And it took a while to get her the care she needed. Was the mother ever identified?"

"Yes, unfortunately, posthumously. She was an indigent. A regular at the shelters. She had a drug and alcohol problem, however, we have learned from her friends that she seemed to have been able to control it to a degree for the baby's sake while she was pregnant. The minute the child was born, she went straight to her pusher and overdosed. We were able to match with a DNA test, but we never identified the father. There were no other known relatives."

"So now you are looking for adoptive parents?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, that's why I'm here. I was hoping you'd be interested. You see, while babies are generally more adoptable than older children, a child of an addict is less so. Many of these babies are addicted themselves or suffer medical problems because of what the mothers have done to themselves. Mary is, at this time, apparently unaffected and we have great hopes that she will be normal in all respects. But adoptive parents are not always willing to take such a chance. Let's face it, who wouldn't prefer a healthy child over a handicapped one?"

Karen nodded. "Understandable."

"Also, these days, unwed mothers can pick and choose parents for their unwanted offspring and the adoptive parents have a chance to obtain medical and family histories. Mary doesn't have that in her favor. She needs someone to love her, Captain Simms. Someone to be her mother."

"I'm not married. I work all day and sometimes into the evenings, Shawna."

"True, but you make a good living and can afford to hire good care for her for when you can't be there. And I can see it in your eyes that when you are there, you'll be all there for her."

Simms smiled. "Shawna, you aren't trying to pressure me, are you?"

The woman smiled that candlewatt power smile again. "No, ma'am. If I wanted to do that, I'd have brought Mary with me."

She stood up and Simms did the same. "Just think about it for a while, Captain. Take all the time you need. Mary isn't going anywhere fast. At least not without the love and guidance of someone who wants her."

Handing her a business card, she left and Simms sat back down to stare at it. Motherhood again. It felt... exciting.

She set the card aside along with all the thoughts and feelings that came rushing at her. Taking her mug, she went out to the coffeepot only to find another set of confusing feelings standing there, filling his coffee mug.

"Coffee?" he offered.

She put her mug down for him to replenish. "Thought you weren't coming in today, Detective Griffin."

"Well, in spite of my current opaque appearance, I'm not really here. Just came in to fill out my report for last night and I'll be leaving. Peter had a lesson planned with Snow this afternoon so I thought I'd come in and get out of their hair for a while."

"Lesson?"

"Self-defense. Standard procedure for all city girls and partners of former mercenaries with dubious pasts."

She took a sip of the coffee. "Seems reasonably cautious."

"Gives her something to do while I'm at work for the time being."

"Have you given thought to keeping her busy with a family, perhaps?"

She was horrified to realize she'd actually said something so personal to him. But she'd still been thinking about Mary and how, at one time, she'd actually daydreamed about what it would be like to have both of them in her life. She could see him holding little Mary, the baby pulling his sunglasses away and the two of them chuckling together.

"You mean like a baby, Captain?"

"Don't you like babies, Detective?"

"Sure I like babies. Veal, lamb. Eggs. They count, don't they?"

"That's not funny, Kermit. Seriously, don't you ever want a child of your own?"

He looked more serious than she'd ever seen before. "Not an option, to tell the truth. And we're not inclined to try and change that. Although we may end up with a litter of Radar's pups if we can find the right partner for her."

Simms felt an odd disquiet. She'd seen his soft side before. He hardly ever let it show but she'd imagined he would have been good with babies and his disclaimer jarred that image she'd built. "That's what it's all about in the long run," she told him. "Finding the right partner."

She went back to her office before he could say anything more.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Jack led his accomplices into the conference room where his boss waited with LeBec. "It's tonight," he informed them, setting a stack of photos on the table in front of his boss. "Word around the precinct is that they'll all be at Delancy's. My informant says that Griffin, the mercenary, is bringing a chick to meet his co-workers and, get this, she's Caine's student. It's certain Caine will be there."

"Excellent," Hai murmured as he poked casually through the pictures.

Jack smiled. His photographer had caught several people coming in and out of Caine's building and the close-ups were high quality. The woman indicated as the new student was unexceptional, but the dog who frequently paced by her side was fine looking animal.

LeBec crooked his head to see. "Which is Caine?" he asked,

Hai silently handed him one of Peter and after looking at it, LeBec snorted, "He doesn't look like any threat."

Jack laughed. "Try taking one of his hits to your nose, tough guy and see how you feel about him then. Shaolin priests are a warrior sect. He can fight."

Hai retrieved the photo. "He is only the bait. And later, when I have his father, I will let the Dark Warrior suck his soul from his body for sustenance. Go and prepare. Arrange to be informed when they are all there. I have a car that has been reported stolen only this morning. It will take you to Delancy's and drop you off. A second car will be right behind to pick you up two minutes after you have been dropped off. And remember, no one is to be killed, yet. Most especially not Caine. Give him fear."

******************************************

"Snow, you have ten seconds to finish whatever it is you're doing in there or I'm coming in and dragging you out, dressed or not," Kermit barked as he cracked the bedroom door a little.

"Lay off her, Kermit," Peter suggested, sprawling in one of the big, soft living room chairs. "She's just as nervous as you are."

Griffin gave him a carefully schooled, blank look. "Who's nervous? I'm just tired of waiting."

"Then go have another drink. I'm driving anyway. She needs to be able to feel confident tonight. Try to put yourself in her shoes."

"I wish she'd put herself in her own shoes so we could leave," Kermit grumbled as he went to pour another finger of scotch in his glass and leaned on the kitchen island table while he sipped it.

"How's that shoulder feeling?" Peter asked to distract him. "Getting along better without the sling?"

"Just dandy. Now if I could just get rid of the shoulder brace and the physical therapy, I'd have my life back to normal."

"Nothing about your life is normal, Griffin," Peter razzed him, trying to prod him into a better humor. "Be one with the brace," he suggested.

"Is that from the Shaolin version of Gray's Anatomy or have you been hanging around with Ancient Master Spooky too much?" Kermit groused, much to Peter's delight.

"You're just jealous because Radar likes him better."

"She does not. She adores me. The only reason she's at his place tonight is because I didn't want to leave her in the car or at home alone tonight."

"Right. And her sitting down when you tried to get her to leave him had nothing to do with it?"

"He was cooking fish for dinner. She's not stupid," Kermit insisted, then he yelled again, "Snow, any longer and we will both qualify for senior citizen discounts at the bar! I am getting grayer by the minute,"

"I never thought I'd ever say keep your pants on Griffin, but looks like today's the day," commented Snow as she stood in the bedroom doorway.

Both men straightened up and took notice. Peter let out a whistle and complimented, "Wow! Let's leave the crankcase home and you can be my date tonight."

Kermit was totally speechless. She was wearing a little black dress with a lovely curved bodice that outlined her breasts in a most alluring way. The sheerest black net made up the rest of the top and the long sleeves. The dress wasn't too tight or clingy but still showed off a nicely rounded figure, with hemline stopping just at the knee. Black nylons and simple high-heeled pumps completed the ensemble. Her hair was freed from its usual braid and rippled around her shoulders like a shining veil, with little clips at the temples to keep it from hiding her face. It looked like she'd used some cosmetics but nothing obvious enough for him to be sure. Around her neck was a chain of gold nuggets he'd bought for her.

She smiled as she carefully stepped over to him. "I'm going to fall over in these stupid shoes."

He shook his head, "No, you won't. I'll be there to catch you."

"Promise?"

"Already did," he pointed out as he took her left hand in his and gave her wedding band a little tweak.

"So, do I look okay or not?"

He moved his head from side to side as he pretended to examine her. "Weeelll, okay, I guess."

She jerked her hand away and made a fist that she shook at him, as if wanting to hit him but afraid she might hurt his still-mending shoulder. "Oh, you dog, I ought to...." she began but he cut her off with a smile as he grabbed her fist.

"Hey, hey, don't insult the dogs. Okay, you look spectacular. I just didn't want you to get lost in an ego trip from the drooling idiot over there, who just happens to be in big trouble for looking at my woman like that, in case he's interested."

He glared at Peter who stood, saying, "Come on, we're late enough already. You can try to punish me later, Griffin. And notice I said 'try.' Snow, did you finish all your tea? And all centered?"

She nodded yes, so he smiled to reassure her. "Then, you're ready. They're a nice group; you will like them. And, I know they will like you, in spite of your questionable taste in men."

Kermit got her coat from the front hall closet, slipping into his own before helping her into it. Downstairs, they got into the back of Peter's Stealth as Peter took the wheel. "Buckle up," he ordered.

"Is this really necessary?" complained Snow. "My dress will get wrinkled."

"Tough," Kermit answered brusquely, pulling the shoulder strap over her, "I've seen him drive."

The hand he reached to hold was icy and trembling ever so slightly. "Hey, he drives better than he cooks," he jibed gently.

"It's not that. I just wanted to be able to hold on to you," Snow told him quietly.

"They'll like you. You have nothing to worry about."

"Jody didn't like me. I can't imagine why your Captain Karen would either."

"Jody didn't know you. And it was me she was mad at. As for Captain Simms, I told you she's a class act. She won't say anything out of line to you."

"Or you'll take out that big, ugly gun and...?"

"Snow," he threatened. "Stop this. You've been meeting new people year after year up at the lodge. This isn't any different."

"Yes, it is. The people who came to Tanana View weren't there to see me. They came to see Alaska and it could never disappoint them."

He reached to caress her cheek, tugging gently at her chin to make her face him. "There are five people in this world whose opinions matter to me. You've met two, Peter and Annie, and they both like you. I know my sister Marilyn well enough to know she will like you. I know Paul would love you if only for the fact you care about me. These people you're going to meet are only my current set of co-workers and trust me, I could walk away from any and all of them and never look back. It's the way I've lived most of my life. But I am certain they will like you. Ultimately, however they choose to regard you, is of no consequence to us."

Snow was silent for a minute, gazing at the hands that covered and warmed hers. "That was four. You said five."

"The fifth is you, babe. And your opinion counts the most."

*********************************

Peter reached for the door handle ahead of Kermit to usher them inside. The bar was noisier than usual since TJ was at the piano again, this time singing a ballad to Jody who was perched on the seat next to him. Kelly and Frank were at a table, holding hands, listening to the music. At the bar, Blake, Broderick, Simms and Chin appeared to be watching TJ and talking but it was pretty obvious they were waiting for Kermit and Snow.

Kermit stopped at the piano so Snow could greet the one face she did know, Jody, and to introduce her to TJ. "Nice to meet you, Snow," said TJ without missing a chord. "Let's talk real estate when I'm done here, okay?"

Snow looked genuinely pleased at the suggestion, so Peter moved away to let her husband guide her. He went to order a beer at the bar. "So that's her, eh?" commented Broderick, "Not quite like the last one, is she?"

"Thank heavens for that," muttered Simms, just loud enough for Peter to hear.

They watched as Kermit and Snow reached the table where Strenlich stood to offer his hand to the lady and introduced Kelly to her. "Skalany did a good job on the description," Simms said cryptically.

Peter looked around. "Where is Skalany?"

"She had night shift this week," Broderick offered. "She's going to be really put out that she was the first to see Kermit's lady and last to meet her."

Blake piped up, "She reminds me of you, Captain."

Simms turned slowly to glare at him as he nervously continued, "You know, kinda petite. Long hair. Trim figure. Attractive without being... uh...flashy...uh.."

"Put that foot any further in your mouth, Detective and we'll be forced to take you to the ER to have it removed. Along with this barely tasted glass of scotch I'm holding, if you get my drift," Simms promised him.

Chin had his hand over his mouth and Broderick was silently snickering into his beer. Blake quickly turned from Simms to gulp anxiously at his own drink. Peter reached to give her a hug and whispered, "He's not that far off base if you think about it. Take it as a compliment. Now breath."

She took a deep breath as Kermit escorted his lady towards them.

"And this is 'Shaky' Blake, our tech expert," he introduced.

"It's the caffeine," Blake explained as he took her hand, "I can't seem to give it up even though it's not good for me."

"So what's your real name, then?" Snow asked and the others waited eagerly.

"Actually Kermit is the only other person who knows that. I like Shaky well enough. I don't like to use my real first name." She looked at her husband, her eyes gleaming with mischief, "You mean it's a worse name than, say, Kermit?"

Kermit gave her a half smile, "Very cute. Especially coming from someone named after the weather report. Ahem,... this is Sergeant Broderick. I've told you about him."

"Lies, all lies," insisted Broderick as he shook her hand, "He just hates that I'm taller than he is."

Chin was next and she greeted him in Chinese, much to everyone's surprise. "You didn't tell me you speak Chinese," Peter accused her.

"Darn, now you won't be talking to Lo Si about me when I'm in the room any more, will you?" she smirked.

Peter looked to Kermit who seemed to be equally surprised. "You know about this?" he asked.

Kermit shook his head. "First I heard it."

Snow laughed. "The Ancient taught me when he was training mom and I. Just enough to read the herb bottles, be polite to people and figure out which menu items to stay away from. Wonder why he didn't mention it to you?"

She seemed very at ease, unlike the way she'd been in the car over, but Peter could see she had a white-knuckle, death grip on Kermit's hand. Simms moved from where she'd been lurking behind Peter and Kermit introduced her.

"This is my boss, Captain Simms."

"Pleased to finally meet you in person," Simms said as she gingerly shook hands, "so I can thank you for taking such good care of Kermit for us. He's an important part of the team. We appreciated your kindness."

Snow hesitated just ever so slightly, then answered simply, "You're welcome."

Peter stored a mental note to ask her what she was going to say. Kermit suggested, "Why don't we get some drinks and go commandeer one of those nice, comfy couches by the piano so we can listen to TJ? What do you want, babe?"

Snow looked to Peter briefly, but he knew she was only too familiar with the ingredients of Lo Si's tea. He shook his head negatively to remind her no alcohol so she requested just soda water with lemon to take to the table.

They chose a spot next to Strenlich so he and Kelly could join the conversation. TJ and Jody abandoned the piano, TJ sitting next to Snow and pulling out his ever-present notebook. Peter lingered at the bar with Broderick and Simms. "Coming over?" he asked her gently.

"Don't push it, Caine."

"You're much stronger than you think. And, after tonight, I think you'll find it easier."

He left her discussing the merits of musical theater over drama with Broderick and the bartender, going to sit next to Jody with a warm hug from her. "How's she doing?" whispered Jody, looking at Simms.

Peter shrugged. "It's going to take time. Something we already know about, right?"

Jody smiled, "To steal a phrase, oh yeah."

*************************************

Kermit had gone back to the bar for a refill of both his and Snow's glasses when hell broke loose. The sound of breaking wood was punctuated by the rattle of a heavy automatic weapon, slamming round after round into the front door. Kermit whirled, drawing his gun at the same time, looking for Snow. Peter had his arm around her and was dragging her down behind a large wooden table, so he dove behind a chair and waited for a target. He vaguely felt the stab of pain in his shoulder when he hit the floor but the adrenaline surge blocked most of it out.

They came in as the door sagged on it's hinges, shot to pieces; three of them, all in black, masked and holding huge guns that belched fire as they spoke in steel-jacketed bullets.

He tried to get off a shot or two but had to continually duck the flying glass and debris as the gunmen continued their spree. Then one backed out and the second was following so he took careful aim and put one full in the chest of the last gunman. The man barely flinched as he too ducked out the door and suddenly the only sound was that of falling glass and wood from the ravaged room.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The last piece of glass hadn't hit the floor yet when Jody, TJ and Blake skidded out the front door to follow the gunmen. Kermit lunged for the table where he'd seen Peter drag Snow, calling her name. She pulled herself up on the edge of the table and fell into his arms, holding on with all her might. "Are you hurt?" he asked anxiously, carefully brushing some wood chips from her hair.

She shook her head no, saying in a quavering voice, "Please tell me this doesn't happen every day."

"Never," he snarled, holding her trembling body tightly, "no one's ever been this crazy before."

"I would have sworn I tagged one," claimed Detective Chin, shaking glass from his suit coat.

"I know I did," Kermit remarked, "The bastards had on body armor."

Peter got up, brushing wood chips and glass from himself as he called out, "Is everyone okay?"

"Fine over here," called Simms as she rose from the floor, handed up by Sergeant Broderick.

"Here, too at least until the boss sees this," answered the bartender, standing up from behind the bar to survey the scene.

"No," answered a voice, "Call an ambulance."

It was Strenlich and he was putting a handkerchief to Kelly's bloody arm. Kermit pulled his wife to her feet. "Snow? Can you do something about this?"

She nodded and turned to where the couple sat in the wreckage of tables and chairs. "I'm on it. Get me some clean bar towels."

She came to kneel next to the injured woman saying calmly, "Okay, take it easy now. I'm going to take a look at this and see what we have here. I've been trained as an advanced level EMT so I know a little about what to do. I'm going to try not to hurt you, but feel free to yell if I do."

Kelly nodded and Snow pulled the handkerchief back to look at the bloody area. "I know you're a cop and trained to stay calm so I'm not going to bother lying to you. You are going to stay calm, right?"

She looked carefully at Kelly who gave her a weak smile as she nodded so Snow continued, "Looks like you caught a ricochet, so it's a little bigger than a normal bullet wound. It's still in there and it's hit an artery so we need to work fast but it's not too bad. You, on the other hand, need to relax and let us take care of you, okay? I'll explain everything I'm doing before I do it. And I promise you're going to be fine."

Kermit brought a handful of neatly folded bar towels saying, "Ambulance is on the way."

Then he moved back to stay out of her way, but still close enough to help if he was needed. Snow smiled back at him, keeping her manner composed and her movements deliberate. "Thanks, babe," she told him.

As Snow worked, Kermit saw once again the focused, confident woman he had married. Not the tearful, fearful person at the mercy of an uncontrolled and unwelcome gift.

"First, Kelly I want you to lie flat on the floor," she told her, helping her to lay back comfortably, one folded towel under her head. "We're going to keep your hand above your heart so gravity will help us stop the bleeding. Chief, if you could sit here, next to her and we'll put her arm up against your chest to hold it in place. Kelly, I'm going to use a pressure point to slow the bleeding more. We don't use tourniquets any more because they tend to do more damage than good," she explained, as she instructed Strenlich to hold his lady's hand up on his shoulder.

"This will hurt but we need to do it, so do whatever you need to--cry or yell or bite, just don't try to move your arm," Snow warned her.

Then, finding the right place, she applied pressure, carefully checking the wound. "It's working," she told a tearfully quiet Kelly. "Now I'd like you to try to think about your favorite place. Can you visualize it?"

Kelly nodded and whispered, "The City Botanical Gardens. In the Rose Garden."

"Great," encouraged Snow. "Now close your eyes and I'm going to talk to you quietly and I want you to concentrate on how it feels to be in that garden. We're going to do this so you'll relax. This will ease the pain and slow the bleeding even more. It's sort of like meditation or maybe more like being hypnotized. Just ease into it."

Then Snow began to speak quietly as Kelly took one deep breath and closed her eyes.

Peter came to stand next to Kermit. "What is this?" asked Kermit quietly, "Something you taught her?"

Peter shook his head negatively and whispered back, "I think she's doing what feels natural now that she has some control over her gift. From what I can tell, she's taking on Kelly's feelings and calming her."

Snow was describing the sights, sounds and smells of a rose garden on a hot summer's day, her voice low and quiet and almost monotone. Kelly's breaths came slower and slower until Snow finally stopped her droning and, looking to where the Chief sat in complete amazement, said quietly to him, "She's out. She'll probably sleep until the paramedics arrive. The bleeding is slowed for now but we'll have to sit here like this until help comes. Tell me if you're getting tired of holding that pressure on her arm and I'll take over for a while."

He nodded, "Thanks. This is amazing. You should be working at this full time."

*****************************

Simms came to stand on Kermit's other side. He was rubbing absently at his shoulder as he watched Snow work with Kelly. Karen wanted badly to ask if he'd hurt himself but decided it would be too personal. Instead she asked quietly, "How bad is it?"

"Snow's got it under control. I'd better go look for our hotshots outside," he told her as he headed to the doorway.

Blake stepped in just as he got there and they stopped to exchange information before he continued out. Then Blake came to tell Simms, "No one saw anything as usual, at first. Then Jody persuaded one guy to give us a partial plate and a description of the cars. They were dropped off by a nice black limo. Custom plate. 1-B-something. It left and the guy said he heard the shooting but claimed couldn't see anything. Then another car, dark sedan of some kind picked them up. They took off North for a just a block before turning downtown. We called in an APB for both vehicles."

"Run a make on that plate and call for a forensics team while you're at it," she ordered Blake.

"One more thing, Captain," Blake said somewhat nervously.

He handed her a spent casing. "I know these. Forensics will verify, but these are US Government issue."

"I don't suppose you'd like to tell me how you know this," she asked as she examined it.

"I wish I could," he told her softly and there was something in his tone that made her look deeply in his eyes.

He ducked away as he usually did, but she saw the sadness there. As he left to make the call, Peter took the casing from her, turning it slowly as he looked carefully at it. "Bon Bon Hai," he said suddenly.

Simms turned to him, "You think?"

Peter nodded. "I can't tell you why, but it 'feels' to me like he's involved. Some kind of message; for who, I'm not sure. But they weren't shooting to kill. They were deliberately shooting high," he pointed out. He gestured to Kelly, "This was just an accident."

Terry, the bartender came to talk to Captain Simms next, asking her, "Can I start cleaning up?"

She shook her head no. "Sorry. It's a crime scene. You'd better call the boss and have him send out the insurance people to take pictures when we're done."

"Can we disturb it enough to clear a path to the door?" asked Snow. "I think I hear the ambulance sirens."

Seconds later, they all heard them. "You've got good ears, lady," Simms commented. "Okay, let's get this stuff out of the way."

She and Peter took hold of an overturned table to drag it to one side as Detective Chin and Terry began to shove broken chairs right and left. Kermit and Peter shoved back what was left of the door for the paramedics as they rolled in a stretcher. Snow exchanged information with them as they gently placed the injured detective onto the stretcher and took her out.

"Captain...."Strenlich started, but she cut him off.

"We're covered here," she told him. "Go with her. That's an order, Chief."

He nodded, "Thanks," and hurried after them.

*******************

It was Peter who noticed that Snow was still sitting on the floor looking somewhat drained. "You okay?" he asked, kneeling down next to her.

She said in a strained voice, holding her arm as if it ached, "I'm just tired. And I want to get out of here."

He rubbed her shoulder gently, reaching out with his Shaolin senses to feel the turmoil that simmered inside her. He was certain she'd shaken off the effects of Lo Si's tea and was totally unshielded. "Hang in there. I know you're tired but try to pull up that shield, at least for right now. I'll go get Kermit and tell him you need to leave."

"He's busy," she said in a strange tone so he looked to see what was going on.

Kermit was deep in conversation with Simms who was standing very close to him, hand on his chest.

******************

"Damn it, Kermit, I'd tell any of my detectives the same thing. You've obviously hurt your shoulder again and you need to have it looked at. You should have gone with the paramedics."

Unconsciously, he put his hand over hers as if to reassure her, saying calmly, "And I said it's fine. I'd know if it was reinjured. Trust me, it's felt worse. I'll have the therapist look at it tomorrow."

"This is work-related. I could order you to get it looked at."

"And it wouldn't be the first of your orders I've disobeyed. I said I'm fine. Let it go."

Simms was about to say more, but Peter stepped up to take their attention. "Kermit, Snow needs to leave."

Kermit's head jerked around to where Snow was still sitting on the floor. Simms realized they were holding hands in front of his wife and pulled back from him. "Damn," he swore softly, after exchanging a meaningful look with Peter.

He walked away from her without further comment and Karen felt a wave of resentment. It was as if she had just ceased to exist for him at that moment. She turned away before he reached Snow. She knew what he'd do. How he'd pick her up and hold her in his arms and even though she knew it was the right thing to do in these circumstances, she just couldn't bear to see it.

"Don't put it off, Karen. Turn around and look."

Peter's voice was soft in her ear and she let him take her shoulder and gently push her to turn back. Kermit and Snow were wound around each other like they were one being and for a second she felt almost physically ill.

"The difference between a concept and reality," she murmured.

She'd seen the last woman who had turned his head, but she hadn't seen him hold her like this, caressing her hair, lips pressed to her forehead. Snow looked tiny and fragile next to Kermit, almost like a child to be protected...

It hit her like a sledgehammer. Protected. Snow needed to be protected. Nothing else could make a man feel like a man than having someone to protect. And Kermit, who wanted to cure the world's ills, would naturally respond to her need. While she, on the other hand, was a trained police Captain, and needed no such protection.

The closest times she and Kermit had shared were when they were in a crisis. She'd needed his help to get out of that elevator. And when she'd been accused of murder, he'd been there for her. That awful time when the Dark Forces were disturbing the entire precinct, Kermit had sent her to see her son to protect her from the influence of that evil. Even when she was kidnapped, he did everything in his power to help. But she and Caine had freed themselves. She really didn't 'need' him. Not in that way, at least.

She looked to Peter for conformation. "Is it because..."

"Yes. And no. They need each other. She's amazingly capable in her own element, especially when he needed her. You saw how she took care of Kelly."

"You know it's spooky enough when your father does that," she told him, slightly irritated at his apparent mind-reading ability. But still, she was grateful to have his hand to hold on to while she absorbed some reality.

*********************************************

Peter stopped for a minute to talk with Jody. "How are doing?" he asked as he slid an arm around her.

"Well, I wanted to lean on your shoulder and get all girly, weepy on you. And then get you to take me home with you, but all this..." and she indicated the mess around them, "..has got the old adrenaline pumping. I'm going back to the precinct with the Captain. She wants to talk to the FBI on this one after she hears from forensics about the shells. I thought I could help Blake out with some research. Those were pretty sophisticated weapons. He seems to think we should be checking information on arms dealers through Interpol."

"Sounds like a job for Kermit, if you ask me."

Jody nodded towards the couple. Kermit had Snow by the hand but was deep in conversation with Blake. "Probably right. But do you really think he'd leave her tonight to go back to work?"

Peter shook his head. "No. Not now."

Kermit finished with Blake and, still holding tightly onto Snow, came over to tell Peter they were ready to go. "I think you'd better plan on staying at my place tonight," he added. "If this was for you, your place won't be safe."

"Uh, I don't think that's...."

"No, argument. We have a guest room where you'll be perfectly comfortable."

He was ready to protest a second time but Snow's weakly murmured, "Please, Peter," convinced him.

She probably needed some help getting back in control, so he nodded. "Okay. Don't stay up too late, Jody," he cautioned, dropping a casual kiss on her cheek.

Their hands lingered together briefly as he moved away.

******************************

"There," called out one of his men and LeBec leaned forward to watch the two men and the women get into a sporty blue car.

"Follow them. From a distance," he ordered. "And be careful. They're both cops."

"I thought you said one was a priest?" asked the driver as he pulled slowly from the curb.

LeBec sighed. Well, he hadn't chosen them for their brains. In fact, if they thought too much, they'd realize he should be paying them more. "He was a cop. He resigned from what I understand and he's a priest now. But he still thinks like a cop. He'll notice a close tail. I'm hoping they aren't thinking that way right now after Mr. Wong's little performance. Just be careful. Everyone watch to see where they go. Snatching this guy for Bon Bon Hai will go a long ways towards earning his gratitude."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"I'll tell you what's wrong. Everything, damn it. Everything!"

Peter could feel the tumult that was bubbling over in her. "This isn't all you, Snow. You're not shielding well and you're probably picking up someone else's anger. Let's sit down and meditate and get this under control," he suggested calmly.

"Damn it, I'm tired of having to control everything about me!" she shouted, whirling to gesture at the bank of candles on Kermit's coffee table. They blanked out, leaving curly wisps of smoke to dissipate slowly. "And I am angry!"

"At what?"

"Everyone and everything. I hate it here. This whole city is so full of...wrongness. I was stupid to come here. Stupid. Stupid to believe....."

She started crying. Peter dared finally to come closer, to reach out and touch her shoulder. "Talk to me."

She didn't reach out to him. Just stood there and cried into the back of her hand. She finally gasped out, "Did you know my husband doesn't tell me that he loves me? He doesn't believe in that word. But I trusted him because I thought I could feel that emotion from him. You know I don't pick up many feelings from him--he's too guarded. But I thought I could feel that. Well, I felt plenty from Karen Simms last night. After trying to help Kelly, I was so open. And Simms feels so......loud. So intense. She still wants him. And he still has strong feelings about her. And he spends his days with her. I know plain old jealousy when I feel it and I hate feeling like this. It's no else's feelings I'm picking up, Peter, it's me. I'm jealous, damn it. It's inexcusable and I hate feeling this way!"

She punctuated her last statement with a fit of Shaolin temper that rocked the apartment causing art works to dance in place. Jerking herself away from Peter, she seized the small candelabra that sat on the piano and flung it with all her might. It slammed into the Art Deco screen, shattering one of the delicate glass panels into a million rainbow colored shards.

Her hand flew to her mouth. "Oh, God!" she whispered. "He liked that awful thing. He's going to kill me!"

She whirled and ran, jerking the door open and leaving it swinging as she rushed down the hall to the stairwell. Peter almost wanted to let her run, to let her expend her rage in physical activity, but he knew too many dangers lurked in the city she was so unfamiliar with. He ran after her, but paused long enough to make sure the door closed after him, certain he could catch up to her easily. Kermit had showed them both the hidden keypad that would let them back in without a door key.

He followed her down the stairs and almost caught up to her in the lobby when he tripped over a stack of newspapers that had been dropped for the occupants. She burst out onto the sidewalk still ahead of him and veered to the right. Peter called out to her to stop but she didn't slow until two men leapt from a car at the curb to block her path. Two more stepped out of the front seat of the vehicle. Peter didn't recognize any of them but he knew a .45 when it was aimed at him. Immediately he threw himself to one side as a bullet slammed into the pavement inches from him.

Everything seemed to slow for him. He could see the bullets coming at him and moved to avoid them as if they were tennis balls being lobbed at him in slow motion. The two men seized Snow between them and held on to her. She fought, kicking and punching, using the techniques he'd been teaching her, but without any result. They were too big, too strong and Peter couldn't help as he dodged bullets. Then suddenly, the bullets stopped and real time reinstated itself. "Don't kill him you fools. He'll want him alive," shouted one of the men.

A siren wailed close by and the men looked startled by it. The apparent leader shouted to his team, "Shit! No time! Back in the car. Let's go!" "What about her?" asked one of the twin giants who held a still struggling Snow.

"Bring her," he ordered, getting into the car.

Peter tried to reach her in time, but one of the men snapped off a couple more shots, causing him to duck back. They shoved Snow into the car and took off, tires screeching in the opposite direction of the black and white that had roared around the corner. Peter stood, desperately trying to see the plate number. He recognized the first sequence as those assigned to rental agency cars.

Meanwhile a second black and white arrived as the first screamed through a turn to chase the escaping car. Peter ran to the officers. "I got the plate number," he shouted to the officer, a man he'd recognized from the precinct.

He rattled it off and the officer reached for the radio. "While you're at it, better call for Detective Griffin," he added.

Damn, thought Peter, how the hell was he going to explain this to Kermit?

****************************

Karen Simms was still hot over the lecture she'd gotten from the commissioner when she called her team of detectives together in the bull pen. "We got caught with our pants down. No one comes up with that kind of firepower out of the blue. No one deliberately targets a bar full of cops without reason. Not without someone, somewhere overhearing about it. Now, I want some information and I know you can do better than what little I've seen so far...."

"Captain," Sergeant Broderick interrupted, "Sorry, but we have a disturbance, with shots fired. They have a black and white there, but are requesting Detective Griffin to the scene. I think Peter Caine is involved; I'm sure it was his voice I heard in the background."

Kermit stood up from where he'd been slouching on the edge of Blake's desk. "What's the address?" he asked.

When the Sergeant read it off, his jaw tightened but no other emotion crossed the detective's face. He turned immediately to go to his office. Simms recognized the address. It was the apartment building where Kermit lived. He came out of his office at a half run, coat and gun in hand, with the wolf following. "Take backup," Simms ordered.

"I've got backup," he answered, pulling on the coat as he headed for the door.

"Two-legged, please. And Peter doesn't count; he doesn't have a badge anymore."

He paused briefly. "Jody," he chose. She grabbed her coat and followed him out the door.

Captain Simms went back to lecturing her team. "This could be related," she offered. "We still do not know if last night's message was for Peter or for us. Either way, we can't let this go by unanswered. I want all of you out there. Even you, Blake. Get names and information. Okay, people, let's move it."

"Sergeant," she requested as she turned back to her office, "See what more you can get me on that shooting disturbance."

********************************

Peter was up in the apartment again, talking with an officer when they got there. "Peter? What the hell happened?" Kermit demanded, charging in with the wolf at his side.

Jody was right on Kermit's heels. "Nice mausoleum," she commented, earning a blank glare from Kermit.

Characteristically, he hadn't mentioned they were going to his place when they roared out of the police parking lot in the Kermitmobile. But Jody had put two and two together. She'd heard him invite Peter to stay at his place in case the gunmen had targeted the Shaolin. She just hadn't expected what she saw. It was so......not Kermit.

"Whoa," she commented, as she noticed the screen. "That's too bad."

Kermit followed her gaze and then tuning back to Peter, "They were in here?"

Peter shook his head. "No. That was......an accident. Officer, why don't you and Detective Powell go downstairs so she can go over the scene while I talk with Detective Griffin?"

Jody almost snorted. "Okay, I know when I'm not wanted. Just remember, I'm working on this, too and I'll need to be clued in eventually."

She gave Kermit a challenging glare as she walked out with the uniformed cop.

**********************

"Spill it," Kermit growled when they were alone.

Peter sighed. "They took her. Four men. I was just working on descriptions. I didn't recognize any of them. Not local is my guess; they had a rental car. Also well armed, although not quite the firepower of last night. I heard one say that "he" wanted me alive so they were here for me. I don't think they planned on taking her. It just happened when the black and white unit showed up. I'm sorry, Kermit. They had me pinned down."

Kermit was leaning on the piano, fists clenched and Peter could see that he was struggling to hold his anger in check. "The screen?" he asked.

Peter sighed and got up to walk over to lay a hand on his friend's shoulder. "A Shaolin temper tantrum. She didn't mean to. She was...out of control. I think last night got to her. I should have gone back and gotten her some of Lo Si's tea. She needed it."

Kermit nodded. "She was very distant last night," he confided. "I figured she was thinking she'd made a mistake coming to the city where high-tech gunmen shoot up nice bars for fun on a weekday night."

He straightened up and turned to Peter, "I thought it was too dangerous for you to go back to your place. And now I'm certain about that. Someone wants you, Peter. And when they couldn't get you, they took your student."

Peter nodded. "I'm afraid so. They'll probably contact me and offer to exchange her. We'll get her back," he promised.

"Well, certainly," Kermit snarled sarcastically, "No problem, we'll just trade her for you. That's acceptable. Not."

"Okay, not exactly like that. But somehow."

"Fine. Let me get this straight. They were outside the building, but didn't try to force their way in here?" Kermit asked.

"Witness said they'd been sitting in the car for some time. Apparently they were waiting for something. Or they didn't know which apartment. They must have recognized me when we ran out of the building," Peter told him.

Kermit looked at him over the glasses. Peter explained, "She was upset when she broke the screen and she ran."

"Why was she upset? I thought you said she was doing well at her shielding?"

"She is. It was her own feelings she was trying to cope with. Kermit, last night, she was very open after working with Kelly. She said she got a lot from Simms and some from you. And whatever it was, it left her angry and jealous."

Kermit uttered a single expletive.

Peter didn't often hear four-letter words of that magnitude coming from his friend, but that one said it all. Kermit slumped into a chair, raking a hand through already tousled hair, "It was too soon for her and Karen to meet."

"Normally I'd say taking your new wife to meet your old girlfriend is a bad idea but they had to meet sometime. You see Simms almost everyday," Peter pointed out. "It's up to you to make Snow feel secure in your relationship and that's obviously not happening."

"Save the lecture," Kermit growled at him as he surged to his feet again and got into Peter's face, "Unless you're ready for one about not being able to protect a lollipop from a two-year old. So much for your Kung Fu, Shaolin."

Peter didn't answer or back up, just waited for Kermit's words to catch up to his brain. They did. Turning aside, he thumped a fist on the top of the piano in frustration. "Okay, stop looking at me like that. I was out of line and I take it back."

"They don't have any reason to hurt her, Kermit. They know they'll need her to get to me."

He shook his head, "You mean they won't kill her. They need her alive. They can do a world of hurt without killing her and we both know that. And even if they don't hurt her, what kind of hell is she going to go through trying to control that 'gift' of hers?"

"Let's try to think positively."

Kermit gave him one of his famous green-glass stares.

"Okay, I'll think positively. You just be you and...try not to kill everything that moves. Let's check in and see if they've found that car yet."

They went downstairs to talk with the uniforms and Jody but there was nothing new. A black and white sent to the address of the motel room number provided by the car rental agency found nothing. The room had been rented for a week, paid for in advance and apparently, never used.

*************************

Back up in the apartment, Kermit's frustrated pacing was almost comical as he was trailed everywhere by a whining Radar at his heels. Jody finally spoke up, "Both of you, sit down. You're making me dizzy. And if that dog gets dizzy..."

"She's a wolf," corrected Kermit and Peter at the same time.

"Dog, wolf, same diff."

"Let her get a grip on your arm with those teeth and you'll know the difference," Kermit assured her.

"Whatever. If she gets dizzy, she's going to make a mess on this nice carpet. Why don't you sit down and tell me whatever it is you're hiding from me," she suggested.

Kermit stopped pacing but it was Peter who answered. "What makes you think we're hiding anything?"

"She's staying with you during the day, Peter. She claimed it was because Kermit didn't want her to be alone. But she's too old to need a babysitter. She studies with you. Skalany said you had her meditating, working on something. I figured you were teaching her self defense because of Kermit's past. But there's something more, isn't there?"

Peter looked to Kermit to let him answer. He stood quietly, arms folded, considering before he spoke. "That's a lot of detective work for someone who asked to stay out of my personal life."

 

Jody threw up her hands. "Look, Kermit, I regret saying that. I apologize. I should have apologized sooner, but I was busy wallowing in self-pity. Under ordinary circumstances, I would be glad to stay out of your personal life, but we can't now, can we? We're trying to solve a case here and I need to be informed to do my job."

"Fine. There is something, but it has no bearing on this."

"In your opinion, it has nothing to do with this but I might see it differently. Might see something neither of you do. Simms told you to pick backup and you chose me. I need a little of that trust you hold so dearly. I promise I will remember to forget anything you deem necessary when it comes time to turn in my report."

They could both see the mental blender going as he sorted through her words and his thoughts. "Okay," he finally said. "Let's just say she's very...Shaolin."

"Right. That makes some things make more sense. So," she looked to Peter, "this means she can do the same spooky things you do?"

Peter shook his head. "She not that advanced. But she can do some things."

"Can she contact you like your father does? Or can you tell where she is like he used to track you?"

Kermit leapt on it. "Why didn't we think of that? Can she do that?"

"I don't know," Peter answered honestly. "We've been working together only for a short time. I was fully trained before I learned how to sense Pop. She's not even close to that yet."

"Well, how about you?" Kermit was more tense than an over-strung harp and Peter was reluctant to tell him how distracting his friend's frustrations were.

"I can try, but not here. I'll need to go back to my place.

Kermit was insistent. "What's wrong with here and now?"

Peter stood up and gave Jody a hand up. "I need a little more peace and quiet to concentrate. Preferably without you pacing and putting out, well, the vibrations you're putting out right now. It's not like it's black and white, Kermit. It's more like an art, not a science. I can't drop and give you twenty at your command. Besides, if they're going to contact me, they'll look for me there. Let's go."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"You want me to what?"

Kermit's snarl made his wolf look tame. He had both hands on her desk, leaning towards her with pure rage in his stance, like he was ready to launch himself over her desk to get at her throat. Simms stood firm. "I said I want you off this case and back at your computer, Kermit. You're too emotionally involved. I want Jody and Chin in the field. You can help out with any research they need from here. This is officially a kidnapping. We'll be sharing the case with the FBI."

Kermit straightened up, looking disgusted, "Lady, I know the FBI from the inside. They can't find their own backsides when they're sitting down. I need to be out there, where I belong, doing what I do best."

Jody observed, "You tried to strangle a witness when he couldn't give us a description of the driver, Kermit. I think that really wasn't doing your best. You were a little out of control."

He glared at Jody. "Funny. Someone recently accused me of being too controlled, not emotional enough," and then turning back on Simms, he accused, "I can't believe you'd even ask this. She's my wife."

The word was like a cold slap. She realized he hadn't referred to Snow as 'wife' before, only using her name. Drawing on her professional demeanor to keep the frost from her tone, she apprised, "I'm not asking, Kermit. This is an order."

The badge hit her desk as he stalked out the door.

"I guess that answers that," Chin commented.

"I'm not accepting this," Simms insisted. "I'll hold it for him, but I'm not accepting a resignation."

"You want me to follow him?" Jody offered.

Simms shook her head. "No, he needs to cool off. I expected this, but I had to follow procedure. I'm certain he'll go right to Peter."

"Peter tried to sense where she was, but all he could give us was that he believes she's still in the city. Not far and in the dark, he said. Kermit didn't take it well. He may not go back to Caine's."

Simms sighed, hurting for the man. Angry as she was at him, she still cared. "Blake is at Peter's in case he's contacted. He'll let us know if Kermit shows up there. Jody, find out who handles the shipping for Bon Bon Hai. I want to know if he could have brought in those weapons. If Peter thinks the incidents are connected, it's good enough for me. Officially, they are two separate cases but you are both assigned to both. Investigate as needed. And Chin..."

"I know, I know. Go undercover. Hang around in sleazy bars in Chinatown and listen for braggarts who know and talk too much. Why am I always the one who has to go undercover?"

Jody looked at him disgusted. "Ah, maybe 'cause you're Chinese? Duh?"

Chin looked at his hands in feigned panic, "Chinese? Shit, when did that happen? Am I slanty-eyed, too?"

He patted his face. Simms had her arms folded, letting him go on for a second, silently grateful for the comedic relief. "Out," she finally ordered softly.

Jody grabbed him and dragged him out of Simms office. "Come on, Roger, you're going to need to keep your day job until you get some better material."

Kermit was just disappearing out the door with Radar hot on his heels. "You know," Chin commented, "Nothing will be happening at the bars for a while. Not till after happy hour. I could follow him."

Jody shrugged. "Go ahead. He can shake a tail faster than that wolf of his, but it wouldn't hurt to try. I bet he goes home to his computer first."

"What's the address?"

Jody rattled it off. "I'll call later," Chin promised and hurried off.

**********************************

Chin had just about decided to take off when the passenger side door was jerked open and a man plunked down in the seat next to him. He went for his gun but was stopped by the painful hold on his wrist. "Oh, please," the man drawled in a bored tone. "I could have killed you five minutes ago."

He turned to stare into the dark, brown eyes of Kermit Griffin. "Just because you're in a nice part of town, Chin, it's still not safe to leave your car doors unlocked when you're on stakeout. She really think this would stop me?"

Griffin let loose his hand as Chin gave his best friendly grin, hoping it would appease the man. Where the hell did he come from? He'd barely recognized Griffin who had tucked his shades away and was wearing a tee-shirt, sport coat and jeans all in black, with his hair slicked back, looking somewhat like an accountant out on the town for the evening. "It wasn't Simms idea. She doesn't know," he explained, "Jody and I thought you'd turn up more leads than we can right away and I didn't have anything else to do yet. It's no use to bar-hop in Chinatown before Happy Hour. They need some drinks in them before they start talking."

Griffin shrugged. "Fine, Happy Hour has started. Let's go."

Chin thought about mentioning that Griffin had technically resigned, but put the car in gear instead. "Agrippa Club, first. Jack Wong likes to hang there lately to get away from his old lady. I'd like to know if he was seen there last night. Say around 10 or so."

"I'd like to know that myself."

"I have a contact there. One of the waitresses. Um, let me do the talking, okay? She's a sweet kid and, no offense, but you'd scare her, even in that get-up."

"I'll go in separately and just do some listening in here and there around the room."

Chin nodded. "So did you come up with anything on the net?"

Griffin didn't answer for a second, so Chin prodded. "Look, Kermit, you may not have your badge with you, but Simms wasn't accepting it anyway. As far as I'm concerned, you're still a cop. I'll give you everything I get and I expect the same from you. For what it's worth, I'd have done the same thing."

"For what it's worth, I'm not doing it by the book. It's highly likely people will end up dead and I don't give a damn about police procedures as long as I get the job done. So don't get in my way," Griffin said coldly. "But I'm willing to trade information at this point. I did some research. The weapons are definitely US Government and possibly, were earmarked for legitimate sale to allied nations. Three shipments of various kinds of merchandise have been waylaid and the Feds are keeping it under wraps while they look for the culprits. There are at least three arms dealers I know of that are capable of pulling it off jobs that big, but one won't sell here in the US so it's not likely to be him. That leaves two possibles. Both are scum. You'll want to listen for the names Victor Sun Li or Greg Rizzo."

"Frankly, it doesn't seem to be Hai's style. He likes to go low-profile. But maybe he's ready to explode. If it is Bon Bon Hai like Peter suggested, I'd guess the Sun Li guy. Hai likes to deal with people he understands, not 'Gwei lo'--uh, honkey. Round-eyes. You know, white guys..."

He glanced over at Kermit who assured him, "I'm not offended. I've been called worse than white."

They drove in silence for a while, Griffin staring out his window, arms folded in a posture designed to rebuff any attempts at conversation. Chin decided to try anyway. "So where's the wolf?"

"With the Ancient. Took her there an hour ago. You did know my building has other exits, didn't you? If we get any leads, I'll let her sniff out a few places."

"She's a hell of a beauty. Too bad we don't have a K-9 unit. They come in mighty handy."

"She didn't name her Radar for nothing. Found my glasses and my gun in a 6-foot, 50 mile snowbank about a month ago. Peter thinks she's still in the city and if we can pin it down to an area, Radar can find her."

"We are going to find her," Chin offered.

"Oh, yeah."

******************************

Bon Bon Hai's agitated hiss was just what Jack Wong wanted to hear. The tiger was in a fine rage. "Do you have any evidence?"

Jack shook his head no. "I'm just going on gut feeling. The cops are in an uproar and have called in the FBI. My informant said that Griffin has resigned and gone underground to find her. It just seems like something LeBec would do to try and please you. Maybe he thought she'd make good bait to bring Caine in. He's trying to worm his way closer to you. He saw how much you wanted the Shaolin last night."

Hai leaned forward to put elbows on his desk, fists folded together as if holding them back from doing damage. "Unlike others, I do not admire ambition. I like my people to be efficient and obedient. I sense this alliance with Mr. LeBec will be short-lived."

Jack grinned. "Oh, please. Let me do it."

A cunning nod from his boss sent a thrill though him. He was going to enjoy every second of it. "But not yet," cautioned Hai. "When I tell you. I want the connection to this arms dealer first. The weapons must not go to my enemies. Once we have made contact, Mr. LeBec's services will no longer be needed. Have you discovered where LeBec is?"

"He rented one of the empty Choi factories. The one on Prosperity Lane in the warehouse district. Choi called me because the stupid round-eye used your name as a reference. The place was a laundry at one time I think. Two stories. Big enough to hold a lot of merchandise. Or hide a hostage in."

"Then perhaps we should welcome him to the community with a surprise visit, no? He can do some explaining."

"I'll call for the car. He has 3 sumo-sized goons working for him. I think a few extra men along would be prudent."

"Take care of it. I will be down in 5 minutes."

Jack left and Hai wandered restlessly to his favorite place, in front of the bell jar that protected the Book of Shambhala. "Soon, Dark Warrior. Soon," he comforted it.

********************************

The bare mattress was uncomfortable but offered some protection from the cold, so Snow lay curled up on it, right arm extended to where the cuff was locked to the headboard rail. It should have been easy to meditate with so few distractions like light or sound but she could hardly keep herself focused. The shortest man, who was apparently the leader of the group, positively vibrated with emotion. Even though he was in another room, it was like standing next to a blaring fire alarm for Snow and she had been driven to tears, despair and almost, it felt, to the brink of madness. If only he would go away for a while, she could center herself. She hadn't yet the skills needed to ignore and shield herself from his powerful and, apparently, uncontrolled chi.

The physical discomforts served as an added distraction. She was hungry and needed a bathroom and her head ached from the crying. "Stop this. Get control." she urged herself. "If he finds me like this, he'll be totally ashamed of me. And he's going to find me. So, deep breaths and center."

She began the deep breathing exercise Peter had started her with and forced the control, blocking the psychic noise as best she could. Calmed finally, she reached for the pin she'd hidden and started on the cuff lock again. The dolt who had caught her attempting to escape had believed her when she told him that her wrist was thin enough to have slipped out of the cuff. He had made sure it was tight, biting into her flesh this time.

She was sitting up, rubbing her bare wrist when the door popped open, letting in a flood of light. She squinted against it, eyes smarting. Making out two figures standing in the doorway, she asked, "Are you people ever going to let me use the bathroom?"

The back lighting kept her from seeing their faces clearly but they were both shorter than the men who had dragged her into the car. One of the men turned away to say, "You know if you don't take care of them and they die, they're not much use for a hostage anymore. And then, after a few days, they start to smell bad, too."

By turning his head into the light, she could see he was rather young and handsome, Asian and dressed conservatively. The other figure walked a few steps into the room. Snow caught the waves of forceful chi that surrounded the man, a chi as strong as Peter's and just as controlled. Or, possibly, stronger. He still had his back to the light so she couldn't make out his features clearly. Guessing he was important, she gathered what little resources she had to reach for his emotions, willing him to like her, to protect her from the men who had treated her so roughly.

************************

Bon Bon Hai wavered for a second, almost ready to tell Wong to put the woman in the limo. She was not beautiful, but she had fine, soft green eyes and an aura of pure gentleness. She would make an interesting companion for a while. The mercenary was a smart man. He wouldn't care what had been done to her as long as she was still in good condition when she was returned. If he returned her.

Then he shook off the inclination. LeBec would take the fall if the police found her. The man was not as clever as he thought he was and had probably left a trail a blind man could follow. It was very likely the FBI would catch up to him. Worse luck if the mercenary found him first.

But he could see to it that she got better treatment. Turning, he strode out of the room to face LeBec. Behind him, Jack closed the door and leaned on it without setting the lock. LeBec looked extremely uneasy.

"I hope you'll understand we were just trying to get what you wanted a little sooner for you. I like to be pro-active."

Hai wasn't in the mood to humor the man but held back his disgust. "It was not a good move but it is done and we shall see what happens next. But you must take better care of her. I do not want her harmed. Not in any way. Do I make myself clear? Not a hand on her."

LeBec nodded silently. "Also, see that her needs are taken care of. Three meals a day. Bathroom privileges as needed. Put a man in the room with her if you think her earlier escape wasn't just chance. Get her a light and book or a television. She must be healthy if we are to trade her for Caine."

LeBec turned and was about to give an order, but Hai interrupted. "She has not seen our faces and I wish to keep it that way. Wait until I leave. Now, what has been done about the weapons?"

LeBec smiled nervously as if glad to be able to deliver some good news. "Tomorrow night. He will call here at 9 to tell me the meeting place and we will have 30 minutes to get there. He is cautious and wants a location of his own choice. You must bring at least half of the gold. I know him well. If you have the courage to risk bringing it all, you will be able to buy anything you wish in the future, but half will suffice. We will take delivery at your Shanzou warehouse in Hong Kong the next night and he will pick up the rest of the payment at that time."

Bon Bon Hai deliberately graced him with a smile to relax him. "Well done. We will return tomorrow for the meeting. Take care of your hostage. After we have disposed of the weapons matter, we will arrange to trade the woman for Peter Caine. Let him worry for a while before we contact him. It will make him nervous, less cautious. Let him make the mistakes."

He gestured for Jack to follow and went back to his limousine, Jack stepping ahead to open the door for him. As they drove off, Jack asked, "Are we really going to exchange the woman for Caine?"

He could hardly contain his amusement. Wong still had so much to learn. "Of course not. You said that Caine's abilities have been growing. Chances are we could not hold him for long. Certainly not long enough for the Ancient to contact his father and bring him back. But the woman we can hold as long as needed. We will be contacting Peter Caine to offer the return of his student unharmed. In return, all I shall ask is that the portal to Shambhala be opened for me."

"Peter Caine can do that?"

"No, but the Ancient or his father can."

"The Ancient will refuse. Even Peter can't persuade him to do that."

"Yes, that is true. And so, the son will seek the father and I will have achieved what I wish. Then, when I have them in my power, I shall take both the Caines and the woman to the Dark Warrior."

Jack looked nervous for a moment, then he spoke up, "Eh, didn't the Caines defeat the Warrior last time? And what about Griffin? He won't give up."

Hai felt the snarl rising in his throat but tamped it down. "The mercenary can be stopped with bullets. And, this time, The Warrior will be stronger. After he sucks the chi of the woman, he can next take the son. And then, the father. After that, Shambhala falls to the Dark Warrior and I will have my power back in this world."

Just saying the words brought back the memory of that dark power coursing through him; a feeling unlike anything else. He'd have it back. At any cost.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Kermit sighed and rubbed tired eyes as he leaned back in Chin's car. It felt like they were playing a board game. Roll the dice. One move forward, then two back. The 'Game of Life' or perhaps, 'Truth or Consequences'? Someone was going to feel some consequences when he caught up with him. Except this wasn't a game. Even 'The Game' wasn't like this. He hadn't cared about anyone, including himself when he was part of 'The Game.' It wasn't fun when you played it this way, with fear and concern for another. For someone special.

Chin slipped into the driver's seat again. "Nothing here either. Wong has been suspiciously absent from most of his favorite places ever since he took over his father-in-law's business a few days ago. Didn't even go out to celebrate."

"Not so suspicious. He's probably busy making himself over into a fine, upstanding businessman and pillar of the community."

"Right, a pillar that will come down smack on top of anyone who defies Bon Bon Hai. I think we've done all we can here tonight. Why don't I drop you at your place and we can start fresh in the morning."

"Fine."

Chin shot him a look. He'd agreed too easily and the detective didn't look convinced. "You need some food and some sleep, Kermit. Maybe some of your computer contacts have paid off. Go surf the web if you can't sleep right away," he kindly suggested.

Kermit nodded. Oh, he'd planned on checking his email. Before he carried out his next objective. "Mind swinging by the Ancient's? I'd like Radar with me."

"Sure, no problem."

As they pulled away from the curb, he leaned back to catnap, taking rest where he could get it and mentally ticked off the equipment he'd need.

*************************************

Bon Bon Hai stood at the window of his office, looking down on the street below where the three detectives had parked across the way and were now out of their cars, apparently exchanging information. He snorted. Idiots. They had nothing on him. His limo had picked up a tail this morning, but all they could report was that he'd left his gated home at the usual time and came straight to work. There was no way they could have connected him to the assault on Peter Caine at Delancy's. This had to be something to do with LeBec taking the woman. Damn the ambitious fool! He should make sure his secretary would give him plenty of warning if they had a warrant or tried to get in to see him. But he would not let their presence rattle him into making mistakes.

He stopped to talk with his secretary before going on to his morning conference. As he spoke with her, he noticed a man getting off the elevator near the reception desk. A blind man, bearded, with sunglasses, cane and a leader dog. The well-trained animal ignored him as he passed by both, on his way down the hall. He heard a clipped British accent asking for one of his executives, Mr. Fong. Fong handled his better real estate properties. Must be a new client, he thought as he paused to flip through the investment brief that was the purpose of his meeting. The receptionist spoke on the telephone and then said, "Ms. Lee will be here in a minute to take you to Mr. Fong's office, Mr. Caruthers."

British or possibly Canadian. Excellent. The more international contacts, the better. He continued down the hall. Business was good. Even a company with a somewhat shaded reputation as Hai Investments and Properties Inc. had could find a niche in this market. Some weren't so picky as long as they got results. Hai smiled, satisfied as he greeted the room full of men who waited for him. Yes, business was good.

***********************

"Anything?" asked Roger Chin, but Kermit shook his head no as he held the back door for Radar.

After closing the animal in the back, he folded the borrowed cane and slipped into the front seat next to his partner. "She didn't scent anything. I'm sure Snow isn't there. Same as the warehouses and properties we checked last night." "You should have gotten some rest," Chin accused.

"I did. I slept from dawn until you came by."

"That couldn't have been more than an hour, Griffin. And you didn't eat."

Kermit picked up the now tepid paper cup of coffee they'd picked up on the way to Annie's. "I'll take that crap from Annie, but you're walking the thin edge of disaster," he threatened. "Let's get going. Mr. Caruthers is due at Moon Imports in half an hour. Then Annie's friend needs her dog's harness back."

With a brief wave to Kincaid and Powell in the parked car behind him, Chin put the car in gear. "TJ said there was nothing suspicious at Hai's place last night or this morning when he followed him in. He'll stay on him until Hai's babes tuck him in tonight. If nothing else, maybe it will make him nervous."

Kermit grunted non-committedly. "Caine hear anything?"

"Not a peep. He's not convinced Hai is directly connected and he thinks whoever has her is letting him stew a little before they contact him."

Kermit pulled the big gun from its holster under his arm and checked it over. "If it's not Hai directly, it could be Wong then."

Noticing Chin's somewhat nervous sidelong glances, he assured him, "Don't worry, I'll leave something for you to arrest when I'm through with him."

"You're still a cop, Kermit. Simms didn't accept your informal resignation. Legally, you can't touch him and you know it. Now, I would be willing to perjure myself to say he fell down if there are bruises on his face, but I'm not going to try to explain away bullet holes. You think about that."

Kermit half laughed as he tucked the gun away and reached to pat Radar who had shoved her head over his shoulder. "I'm only going to be talking to the secretary. If Radar doesn't show any interest, I won't even be seeing Wong. This disguise isn't good enough to fool him and chances are slim she's there, anyway. I appreciate what you've done so far, Chin. I'll probably even feel sorry if I have to blow your head off if you get in my way."

*********************************

"No, Captain, he hasn't shown up here yet," Blake said nervously into his cell phone.

Peter got up from where he'd been meditating and gently took the instrument from him. "Karen, this is Peter. Kermit is fine; he's working with Chin so far. No, your people aren't lying to you. Not exactly, anyway. They've just been omitting some details. You've trained them to deal with the realities. The reality here is that Kermit is going to go after her no matter what. They'll do what they can to make sure he does it legal, so stop fretting. Trust them to do their jobs. Right. Okay. Later."

He folded the unit and handed it back to Blake. "Thanks, Peter. I hated lying to her. I know she's really worried about him."

Peter gave the man's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "She's actually proud of the way you've rallied to help him. The way a team should. And she's not going to hold it against any of you if I know my Captains right."

"Caine? You in here, Caine?"

The dulcet tones of Peter's favorite street punk, Donny Double D rang through the hall. "In here, Donny!"

"Thank goodness you are here," he told Peter gratefully.

"What's the problem?"

"The problem is a certain blonde 'detecative' of the female persuasion with a killer rack, if you get my drift."

"Jody?"

"You got that right. She's been asking for me all over Chinatown."

"So what's the problem?"

Donny had that look of panic in his eye. There was no doubt who had put it there. "Word on the street is that a blonde babe is looking for me. Lula hears of this. No one knows the blonde is a cop wit legitimate business wit me. Lula does not know it is her friend, 'Detecative' Jody. All Lula knows is that in her mind, I'm stepping out on her wit a blonde. This is a thing you know I would not do."

"Not if you value your life, anyway," Peter agreed. "I'll tell Jody that if she needs you, she should send Chin or TJ. Will that work for you? Or you can come here anytime. I'll be happy to pass on any information."

Donny smiled. "You are a friend of the highest degree and wit much sympathy, Peter. You do your father proud." "Thanks, Donny. I take that as a great compliment. So do you have anything you need to tell us?"

He shrugged. "A little. I do not know if it will help you. There is someone new in town. I have not seen him, only his men. Three guys; big. Bigger than big. They like to play cards in the back room at the Hong Kong. They say that now that Jack Wong has gone legit---which we all know he has not but that is another thing---now their boss is going to be Bon Bon Hai's right hand man, so they say. Last night, only two of them show up for the game. They said the other was doing something very important, something that will pay off big for them. Something to please Hai. And they have canceled their seats for tonight. They have some big business tonight, so no card game. This is all I know."

"It's something at least," Peter told him with an appreciative slap on the shoulder. "Hang on a minute and let me get you something..."

"Actually, I would most appreciate some more of that tea da Ancient guy is giving Lula to help her with her morning sickness."

"Uh, sure. I know where he keeps that one. I'll be right back."

As Peter left, Blake reached into a pocket and, pulling out his wallet, took several bills from it to hand to Donny. "For the baby. Takes a lot even before they arrive," he told the snitch.

Donny shot him a grateful look. "Thanks, Blake. I know Peter does not have much of the folding stuff anymore without his job. And, as much as I wish for Lula's morning sickness to cease, I will admit I have some trepidation regarding my impending fatherhood. You ever have a kid?"

Blake took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Almost. We lost it before it was born. And then my wife died before we could try again."

"I am very sorry to hear this. I hope I did not bring up sad memories for you."

"Thanks, it's okay. It was a long time ago. I'm sure you'll make a good father, Donny. You know, they don't come with instructions so you just do the best you can and hope. Peter had it rough as a kid and look how good he turned out."

"This a true fact. I appreciate your pointing this out to me. My kid has as much a chance at being a stand-up kinda guy as any kid."

"More chance, with two parents who love him," Blake assured him.

"You are an all right guy, Blake. You need the word from the street, you call on old Donny. Anytime."

Donny reached out to offer a hand and Blake shook it solemnly. Peter came back with the tea and Donny took it gratefully. "Tanks, Peter. This is just what the doctor ordered."

"Any time. And I'll talk with Jody for you."

As Donny left, Peter noticed Blake had removed his glasses and was wiping his eyes with a handkerchief. His Shaolin senses thrummed with the disturbed vibrations. "Blake? You okay?"

"Fine. It's, uh, a little hot in here."

Whatever it was, he wasn't ready to talk about it. Peter didn't push. "Yeah, sorry. All these candles put out some heat. How about we head to the kitchen? It's almost lunch and I could use a Coke anyway. You want to call Chin and see if he and Kermit can stop by? I'll fix a couple extra sandwiches."

Blake trailed Peter into the next room, dialing his cell phone as he went.

***************************************

Kermit was pacing again, with Radar right on his heels. It could have been the animal's loyalty but secretly, Peter thought it was probably the half-forgotten chicken salad sandwich the agitated man carried. "Kermit, sit down and finish that sandwich before Radar does it for you."

He grabbed his friend's wrist seconds before the sandwich was handed over to the drooling wolf. "You need to eat. Since when do you ignore standard mercenary procedures and not take food and rest when you can get it?"

No answer. Just a green-shaded glare and then Kermit shoved the sandwich in his mouth. He went to sit at the table, next to Blake who, with his usual efficiency, had pretty much inhaled his lunch at warp speed and was lingering over his Coke. Radar followed her master and sat next to him, laying a loving head on his lap. Kermit broke off a tiny piece to slip to her and finished his portion. "What we need to know is who this new guy is and where he's staying," he said as he finished chewing. "If we had known about the big guys last night, we could have followed them. No chance of that tonight."

Chin was idly flipping a fork around and it looked to Peter that Kermit was about to take it away from him and insert it somewhere painful, tines first. But Chin stopped, saying, "Okay. So what about this? Let's make a few assumptions. They're guys. They don't cook. They have to eat. Start with the Hong Kong. See if they've been eating when they're there. Do they ever call for take-out delivery? Then we check all the take-outs in the area." Kermit got up. "Let me get rid of this fake beard and I'll be ready to go. Peter, I think Radar should stay here for a bit. I need to be less noticeable."

"She can stay with Blake. I'm going with you."

Kermit stopped. "No way; you need to be here if they call."

"If they were going to call, they would have by now. They're letting me stew. If I'm wrong and they do call, Blake can take a message."

"Peter..."

"You need me. I know some of the merchants in that area. They'll talk to me."

Blake spoke up, "It'll be okay, Kermit. I'll just change the harmonics on the speaker. If I keep it simple--one word sentences--they'll never know they aren't talking to Peter. Heck, with proper miking, I can make myself sound like Sean Connery."

They exchanged looks that Peter knew had more to do with their long history as part of Blaisdell's mercenary team than anything else. Kermit nodded almost imperceptibly and turned back towards the bathroom.

***************************************

She felt stupid and she probably looked that way too. Or like Fay Wray being schlepped about by King Kong. She'd gotten as far as the main floor, and almost out the door before they caught her this time. One of the men had her slung over his shoulder as if carrying a sack of grain back upstairs. Resistance was futile but she struggled anyway, half from rage and half from fear because this time they were certainly going to punish her. Around her was a city full of minds who encroached on hers, emotions she could influence, but not these men. Slow and stupid, they were perfect soldiers who took orders, quite literally, and there wasn't an original thought between the three of them. The fourth, the one they called LeBec, was the brains of the outfit and he was truly frightening. His uncontrolled emotions radiated total chaos and left her empathic gift rubbed agonizingly raw.

"Here she is."

She was dumped unceremoniously at LeBec's feet, jarring her spine and elbows as she caught herself. He grabbed a handful of her hair and jerked her up to her knees. "You will stop trying to escape or your next trip to the bathroom will be extremely unpleasant. You will have your hands cuffed behind you and someone will have to help you with your personal needs. It won't be fun for you, I promise. Do you understand?"

He twisted the grip he had on her, making her gasp with physical pain as his emotions blasted her mentally. "Yes, yes, I understand!" she cowered from him.

Shoving her away, he ordered, "Take her back to her room. Cuff her again to the bed. Sit in there with her. This time, if you must leave for any reason, make sure someone takes your place. She's not to be left alone."

The giant grabbed her arm and dragged her back to the room. She didn't fight as he snapped the cuff back on to her left wrist. Wearily, she lay back, closed her eyes and fought for control again. Somewhere out there, Kermit was surely looking for her and Peter must be trying to reach her in his own special way. She'd joined minds with him before. There had to be a way to reach him through the chaos that radiated from LeBec.

******************************************

"Hai. Mai goy. Hai gum seen."

Kermit listened to Peter talking to the restaurant owner. He and Chin hadn't been able to get a thing out of the man until Caine showed up. Now the guy wouldn't shut up. It was strange hearing Peter speak Chinese. He'd known Peter knew the language, but hadn't had the opportunity to hear him use it much before.

They bowed to each other, the man dipping lower to show the priest proper respect and Peter handed the man a card with his cell phone number on it. "He doesn't think anyone has delivered any food to them. They always order to-go and pick it up. He's going to make some calls and check around for us. If he gets anything, he'll call me," Peter explained on their way back to Chin's car.

"That was an exercise in futility," Kermit grumbled.

"It was good thinking," Peter insisted, "and we may still get something from that last one. It'll be dinner in a few hours. Something could turn up then."

"We're wasting time."

Peter was staring at him and he had the uncomfortable feeling his friend was reading his mind. But Peter didn't answer, didn't protest if he knew what Kermit's next move would be.

Back at Peter's brownstone, they called Jody and got an update from her. Hai's company dealt almost exclusively with Moon Inc. for shipping and, so far as she could tell, nothing illegal had passed through Moon's business. "Well, I should get back out and see if any of the feelers I put out found anything," Chin said, "Kermit, you want to go back....Kermit?"

Peter didn't bother looking around as Blake and Chin were. "He left with Radar. He's gone...hunting."

"He say where?" Blake asked.

"Oh, I bet I know. I saw him once," Chin revealed, "when I was first assigned to the 101st. Before I knew who he was. Before I knew any better. I saw him in one of those places down by the docks. And he seemed pretty comfortable there." Blake shuddered, "He'll need backup. Those places would make Superman nervous. Maybe we should go see if we can find him."

Peter shook his head. "No. Radar will be enough backup for him. He'll be back. Roger, go ahead and see what you can find out, but be back here around 8 or so. I have a feeling he'll need us tonight."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

It didn't even deserve to be described as the bad part of town. It was more like a section of Hell had been temporarily shoved up between the abandoned buildings and empty lots of the dockside area. They called it simply 'The Alley' and it gave decent, law-abiding, garbage-storing alleys a bad name. Flop houses, little greasy diners, strip clubs and disreputable bars all in a row barely a city block long housed the worse human flotsam in the city. Anything could be found there, everything was for sale and nothing was worth buying. Nobody looked twice at the man in sunglasses and a dark trench coat as he walked down the street. They may have looked twice at the large white dog who paced by his side but if they did, they just kept on walking by without comment. He headed for the strip clubs first. The girls were always happy to see him; always ready to talk for a price. Easy stuff first, he told himself, as he pulled open the door of P.J.'s. The bouncer, sitting just inside the door, was slightly bigger than your average sub-compact car. "Lose the dog," the man rumbled at him.

"What dog?" Kermit answered him and kept walking up to the bar.

Radar stopped to look at the man who dared to step in front of her. "I ain't afraid of no doggies," the bouncer snarled as he pointed to the door. "Now git!"

Radar bounced up to put two feet on the man's chest and stood on her hind paws, nose to nose with the now terrified man, her sharp teeth gleaming in the club's dim spotlighting as her growl increased in volume and tempo. "Did I mention she's a wolf?" Kermit commented, "I'll have a beer."

He leaned on the bar and looked back at where the two still stood, toe to toe, with Radar's snarl dripping drool down the front of the man's shirt. "Full grown wolf can take down a thousand pounds of moose just by chomping down on the windpipe. I'd apologize for calling her a doggie while I still had a throat to talk with if I were you. She's sensitive about her pedigree."

He picked up his beer and took a sip. Hard to believe they were watering the beers too, he thought sadly. What was this place coming to?

"Uh, nice wolf," the bouncer cajoled. "Wolfie want a beer?"

"Radar down," Kermit ordered and the wolf dropped, walking over to stand next to him. "I wouldn't give her a beer if I were you. She's a real bitch when she's drunk."

The bouncer backed off, but commented as if needing to save face, "Okay, she can come in, but you clean up after her if she makes any messes."

"Actually, she usually cleans up after me. They're carrion eaters, you know. Can devour a corpse in minutes, bones and all. Considering the condition of this floor, I don't think you'd notice a difference."

"Oh, nice doggie!" cooed a half-dressed dancer with a cartoon-character voice as she bent over to pet Radar. "Hi, Kermit. When did you get a dog?"

Radar permitted the patting with the bored tolerance she usually displayed when no food was offered. "Hi, Amber," Kermit greeted her, "Is Rain here?"

The girl stood up to lean on his arm and whisper suggestively as she brushed bare bosoms across his chest, "Won't I do today? I'll give you a discount."

"Sorry."

He raised his left hand to wiggle his ring finger at her. She pouted, "Oh, getting it free now, eh? That won't last."

"Rain?" he asked again, tucking a fiver in her g-string.

"She's in the back."

He picked up the beer and wandered towards the stage entrance, waving to the twins who gyrated on the walkway. "Hi, Kermit!" they called in unison. "Nice dog!"

He held the curtain back for Radar and headed for Rain's favorite cubicle, nearest the back door. She knew the value of an escape route, one of the many things he liked about her. She was honest, too. Never rolled a client when she knew she could screw him out of every dime he had with less effort and more fun. She had her back to him, but saw him in the mirror when he took the liberty to push back the alcove curtain without advance warning. "Hi, Kermit; it's been a while."

She swiveled the little vanity chair she was perched on to face him and smiled. "Handsome dog. The wolf's not bad either."

He grinned. "Which one of us you calling a dog?"

She turned back to continue putting on makeup. "Does it matter?"

"No, I guess not. Got a minute?"

"Always for you."

She reached over to pull some feathers and lace from off a trunk as an invitation to sit. Radar lay down in the doorway as he gingerly sat down on the large footlocker. "What's up?"

"I'm looking for a stranger. A man, possibly Asian. He'll be the quiet type, but one you won't want to mess with."

"That describes a lot of people around here. Even you."

He smiled, "This one won't be nice. He'll have money. Lots of it. If it's the Asian, the name will be Sun Li. The other name to listen for is Rizzo. Call me on my cell if you hear about either."

He tossed a twenty on her table and stood up. She got up to put her arms around his neck. "Got time for a quickie? On the house," she offered saucily, stretching on tip-toe to reach his lips.

He jerked his head back and she instantly frowned, loosening her grip. "What's the matter? Getting fussy in your old age? I've got condoms if you're worried."

"You know it's not that, Rain. I've made some changes in my life. Made some promises."

She looked quickly to the hand that held her back and sucked in her breath sharply as she saw the ring. "Well, I never figured you'd go that route again."

"Neither did I. She's special. You know she'd have to be for me to turn you down."

She sat down again as if to move herself as far from him as the crowded space would allow. "Going to try to convince me you have 'feelings' for her, Griffin?"

"No, you'd never believe that."

"Got that right. You and me, we know what's real and feelings aren't. She got money?"

"Tons."

Rain grinned up at him. "Now that's the man I know. Okay, you get along home to your new meal ticket and I'll call if I hear anything. If a woman answers, do you want me to hang up?"

"No, but she won't answer anyway. You know I'm the only one who answers my cell phone. You take care."

"You too. And take care of that dog. I can see she's a charter member of your fan club. You do have a way with women, Griffin."

He held the curtain for Radar and the two of them slipped out the back door, heading out onto the street again.

Amber wandered down the hallway, trying to decide which outfit to almost wear next when she heard a sound coming from Rain's niche, next to hers. "Rain?" she called softly, "You okay?"

She pulled back the curtain. "I'm fine," Rain snapped, scrubbing furiously at her makeup with a Kleenex.

"Didn't think you cared if they were married or not," she commented, guessing at what might have upset her friend.

"I don't. Don't make no difference to me. They all pay the same. That cold-hearted bastard just pays better and most times, I don't even have to screw him to get paid. He's just like all the rest."

"We both know that's not true."

Rain glared at her. "Still doesn't matter. He'll be back. They all come back."

Amber shrugged as she turned away. "Maybe. Maybe not this time."

**************************

He finished up the clubs and had worked his way through most of the bars without any real success. The last place on the street said simply, "Pool" but he knew it was called Larry's Place by those who frequented it. Larry was a real bastard besides being a general pain-in-the-ass, so he had saved it for last, hoping he wouldn't have to go in. "Come on, Radar. And stay awake. This place is trouble. That starts with T and that rhymes with P and that stands for ..." he mumbled to himself.

Larry was behind the bar, leaning on it as he talked with a couple of patrons. He was ugly and so were his customers. There were about fifteen pool tables in the place, each with it's own overhead light, but since it was still early yet, only a couple were in use. "No dogs," Larry barked out.

Kermit ignored him. "I'll have a beer," he ordered, leaning on the bar.

Radar leaped up onto a stool. The bartender moved a bit closer. "I said no dogs."

"It's not a dog, it's a wolf. And I still want a beer."

"I don't allow no animals in here."

Kermit almost laughed at that one. "You'd lose most your clientele if that were the case. Besides, she's my seeing-eye wolf. The law says they can go anywhere."

Larry looked at him carefully. "You ain't blind, Griffin. You're just stupid. Now get it out of here," he demanded.

"You want her out, put her out yourself."

Radar punctuated his words with a low rumble and a wrinkled nose that showed a few bare teeth as if the man wasn't worth the trouble of a full snarl.

"Fine"

The bartender made as if to reach for something below him but Kermit had the Desert Eagle in his ear before the man could bring the weapon up to bear. "Now look who's being stupid," he chided. "Put it up on the bar, Larry."

It was a sawed-off shotgun.

He tsked, never moving his gun from the man's head. "That's not very nice, but it is very illegal. I'll just take this into custody for you and if you ever want it back, you know where you can find me."

"Yeah, I know. These days you're usually...."

He proceeded to describe a rather crass but generally agreeable sounding position with regards to Kermit's nose and a portion of Captain Simms personal anatomy.

"Oh, that's old news, Larry. Come and gone. You're slipping."

Radar suddenly jumped off her perch to stand by Kermit's side, facing the opposite direction of the bar. He moved enough to see in his peripheral vision the two patrons Larry had been chatting with. Both had frozen guilty looks on their faces and hands in their coats. "Don't," he advised them. "Some body parts just can't be replaced, you know."

They slowly withdrew their hands to bring them out into the open, showing them empty as they sat back down.

"What the hell do you want, Griffin? You didn't come down here for a beer. And you didn't come for the fun of it either. So what is it?"

"Looking for someone. You haven't seen him or you'd be packing better than this piece of crap."

"Gun dealer, eh? Name?"

"Rizzo. Or Sun Li."

"We don't allow no chinks in here and never heard of that other one."

"See, it's so much nicer when you just tell me what I want to know without all the fuss, Larry."

Kermit tucked the Eagle away and picked up the shotgun to crack it and pull the shells from it. He leaned over and dropped one apiece in the two patrons' beers that sat on the bar. "Gives it a little extra kick," he smirked at them.

Shoving the now empty shotgun under his coat, he ambled towards the door. "Radar," he called as he reached the door. She backed up slowly until her tail hit his leg and then turned and trotted out the open door. Larry flipped him off but he just laughed and followed his four-legged partner back onto the street. "Well, that was a bust. You might be a babe magnet but you certainly attract the wrong kind of guys."

As they walked down the street, he noticed a man come out of one of the diners. He stopped on the street as he lit a cigarette. The man was short but broad, wearing a short, aviator-style leather jacket. Kermit knew he knew him from somewhere. He took longer steps to get closer. The man turned and walked a few feet to go into the flop house next door.

Then it hit Kermit like a small nuclear explosion. Wagner, damn it. Of all people, it was Wagner. For a second he stopped dead and, instantly, was mentally transported to half a world away and over seventeen years back. He could almost feel the heat, hear the screams and smell the blood. It shook him. Radar's whine and the mild shove of a passerby who bumped into him brought him back. He began to walk again towards the flop house.

It was dim, smelly and generally dingy in the foyer. The clerk at the desk was large, with a big belly and an even bigger head shaped like a bullet. "I'm looking for someone," Kermit told him. "You have a Wagner registered here?"

"We don't give out our client's names. If you don't know the name and room number, get lost."

Kermit grabbed the man's shirt and twisted it up under his Adam's Apple. "I asked you a question."

The man brought up a gun and pointed it at his face. "And I said we don't give out information. Now you let go and get out of here."

Suddenly the man's face went red. "Irk!"

It was a most peculiar noise. They both looked down. Radar had gone around the desk quietly and gently clamped down on the man's crotch. "That's going to hurt if she really bites down," Kermit pointed out. "I think she's upset about the gun."

The man let the gun droop in his hand and Kermit reached to take it from him, shoving it in a pocket. Damn, he was turning into a walking arsenal. "Now, about Mr. Wagner..."

"Ro...Room 12. Don't tell him I told you."

"Oh, he knows me and he knows you just couldn't help yourself," he assured the man, letting go of the crumpled shirt, patting down the rumples.

Kermit looked down to the wolf who was still daintily holding on to the man, her teeth bared and jaws ready to snap shut at command. "Radar, spit that out. It's nasty," he ordered her. "Which way?"

The clerk pointed a shaky hand to the left and Kermit walked down the hall with the wolf close on his heels.

He paused for a minute outside the door. Rizzo, Sun Li, yes, he'd expected them. But not Wagner. He knocked on the door. "Who is it?" came a muffled voice.

"The ghost of Christmas past."

The door jerked open. "Griffin. I figured you'd be dead by now," Wagner told him, smiling. "Then again, I guess I would have heard about it if you were."

"I see you still speak mercenary. Hello to you too."

"Get in here. Beer?"

"No thanks, already drank dinner," Kermit told him as he walked in to stand in the middle of the small room.

Wagner jumped a bit as Radar shoved the closing door open and pushed her way in to go sit at her master's feet. "Good God, Griffin! That's a wolf!"

"You're the first one to notice. Always were observant."

He closed and locked the door. "Yeah, and I observe you're still standing and probably got your hand on a gun in that pocket. So this is business, I take it."

"Oh, yeah."

"We've never needed guns between us before."

"First time for everything."

Wagner slowly pulled a gun from his back waistband, holding it by the barrel and set it carefully on the top of a small dresser. Then he went to sit on the bed, leaving the chair open for his guest. "So what do you want with me?"

"Since when do you sell here in the states?"

"Good--answering a question with a question. I'm not selling here. Well, not delivering, anyway. Goods to be delivered to Hong Kong. I'm just picking up payment."

"Who's the buyer?"

"Don't have a name. I'm dealing with an intermediary by the name of LeBec. Dealt with him a couple times."

"Since when do you use third parties?"

Wagner shrugged. "Since times got tough. The business has changed. So how about you answer some questions? Like what's your stake in this?"

"I'm a cop here."

Wagner burst out laughing and Kermit pulled his hand from his pocket to sit and laugh with him. Wagner leaned over to open a small refrigerator and pulled two beers from it. Handing one to Griffin, he told him, "Let me guess, Blaisdell?"

"Oh, yeah."

"Look, this stuff won't be used here. LeBec knows I don't sell that way."

"They already did use it here. Someone opened up on a bar full of cops two nights ago. Did a lot of damage but only one minor injury. They were making a statement. Good thing I know how to duck."

"Shit. I gave him some samples. He wasn't supposed to use them on anyone. He knows better than that."

Kermit shrugged. "Then maybe he gave them to someone who doesn't care about your rules."

"Then he don't get the stuff, simple as that. I have other buyers. I'll call him and tell him it's off."

"Don't; not yet anyway. There are complications."

Wagner looked at him inquisitively as Kermit took a long swig from the bottle he'd been handed. "We're guessing the buyer is a Chinese National who has business interests here in Chinatown. His name is Bon Bon Hai."

Wagner nodded. "Hai is a powerful family in China. One of my other buyers is the Zahn family and they are bitter enemies of the Hai clan. It makes sense he'd want to keep the merchandise out of Zahn hands."

"Hai is also the sworn enemy of a close friend of mine, Peter Caine. He's a Shaolin priest in Chinatown--and a former cop besides being Blaisdell's foster son. A little over 24 hours ago, someone tried to grab Caine and when they couldn't get him, they took his student--a woman."

"And so you have a personal interest in this, then?"

"Personal? Oh, yeah. The woman they took is mine and I want her back."

Wagner gave him a funny look. "You've changed, Griffin."

Kermit spoke quickly to avoid more questions. "Lots of things have changed. Me, you, your business. What are the chances your intermediary took her?"

"Entirely possible. He's an ambitious person. Always looking to make the right deals. Thinks big. If he thought he could use her, he'd take her. You have a chick who studies with a priest? Do I want to know why?"

"No, you don't. You know where this LeBec is?"

"Not for sure. I have a number to call at a certain time, about an hour and a half from now. They may or may not be there now. You want me to call them?"

"No. If they get suspicious, they could move her. Or worse. Can I have the number? I'd like to see if we can get an address for it."

"Sure."

Wagner pulled a briefcase from under the bed, and, after riffling through the contents for a minute, pulled out a slip of paper. "Here."

Kermit pulled out his cell phone and hit a speed dial number. "Blake? Yeah, I'm fine. Take down this number and get me an address on it. Call me back when you get it. And tell the team we have some names. LeBec is the name of the man we want. The arms dealer is an old...friend of ours. It's Wagner. Yeah, here."

Kermit handed the phone over and watched as his old friend chatted, while he sipped the beer Wagner had given him carefully. It was imported and stronger than he needed. He'd need to get some food in him soon to keep his head clear. Wagner handed the phone back to him. "I can't believe you two. Okay, Shaky, maybe. But you? Blaisdell always was a smooth talker. So what's next? You want me to go through with this deal, or not?"

"I have an idea..."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

It was a good thing they'd picked an abandoned parking garage to meet at considering the number of cars they'd come in. Wagner had insisted he follow in his own rented vehicle instead of riding in the Kermitmobile, but he was nowhere to be seen yet. Blake had come in Chin's car, but Peter had driven his Stealth.

They all parked on the bottom level and were there 45 minutes early for the meeting that was planned. The area was mostly open with good concrete pillars for cover if needed and no innocent bystanders to get in harm's way.

He looked for Wagner's rented sedan. "Damn," he swore to himself, getting out of the Corvair. Radar didn't wait for him to open the door; just jumped from the open window from where she'd been hanging her head during the ride over.

Blake got to him first. "Where's Wagner?"

"I don't know. He was right behind me, but we got separated at a red light. I should have pulled over and waited but he's the one who cased this place. I assumed he knew the way here. What did you find out on that phone number?"

"Like I said, the phone company didn't have a record of it. No address or location. As far as they're concerned, it doesn't exist. They're holding their investigation until I clear it with them so they won't tip LeBec off."

"Either someone got paid off at the phone company or someone knows how to set up an illegal phone line without getting caught. I got a bad feeling about this."

"You think this Wagner set up a double-cross?" asked Peter.

Kermit shrugged. "It's not his style. But he'd sell his own mother if the price was right."

"So what do we do now?" asked Blake.

"We wait for a few minutes and see if Wagner shows up. If not, we go looking for him."

"He could be anywhere," commented Peter.

"He'll go straight to the source of the money. I told him it was Bon Bon Hai. But he knows I wouldn't be happy about a change in plans.

"And you're one of the few people he's always said he'd never cross," Blake put in, "but he's never mentioned why." Blake leaned up against the Corvair and crossed his arms as he continued, "Don't suppose you'd care to tell us why that is, would you, Kermit? As long as we have the time."

Kermit eyed Blake. His co-worker was usually so quiet, so straight. You'd never guess the man had been a mercenary. Except for times like these when he would deliberately tweak a tiger's tail just to see what kind of reaction he could get. "He's seen me when I'm really annoyed," Kermit offered, "and if you keep this up, so can you, Shaky. And you probably won't like it any more than he did."

Blake shrugged and pretended to look disinterested and unimpressed. "Just asking. Oh, here he comes."

The blue sedan pulled up next to Kermit's car and the short, stocky man got out with a nervous smile. "Some kind of traffic you got in this town," he complained. "Shaky, you're looking good."

"We were getting....concerned," Kermit said.

"I already agreed to go to the next buyer. I get the same price, no matter who gets the merchandise. I'm not going cross you, Kermit. Never have, never will. I like my body parts in their current arrangement, but you didn't say it was going to be a party."

Kermit introduced Chin and Caine. "So you worked with my Dad?" Peter asked, shaking the man's hand.

"A few times. Paul was a good leader. Had good instincts and really knew how to plan a decent raid. And he paid top dollar. A raid with him was money in the bank and less risk than with other employers."

"And arms dealing is less risk than mercenary work?"

"Well, generally less risk than working with Griffin at least. And definitely more money. So look, Kermit, are you expecting me to let you arrest me for arms dealing when this is all over? You know I'm not going to sit still for that. Not even for you. Besides, I do have a legit contract with the government. You won't have a case."

Kermit shook his head. "This isn't a police action. Chin and Blake have badges, but Peter and I don't anymore. And no one has a warrant. Besides, you're just going to tell them no sale. No crime in that."

Chin spoke up. "We just want to get the kidnap victim back at this point and keep the arms out. That's our only business tonight. Far as we're concerned, you're Interpol's problem. If Peter can identify this LeBec guy, we have our probable cause and can arrest him for kidnapping and, possibly, for shooting up Delancy's. Then all we have to do is make sure Kermit doesn't shoot him full of too many holes before he talks."

Kermit snorted. "I won't shoot him, at least not right away. I want my hands on him first. Right around his neck."

Wagner checked his watch. "Time to make my call," he announced, pulling out his cell phone. "Quiet down."

He called LeBec and gave him instructions on how to find the garage. "You have 30 minutes and counting," he said and ended the call. "They're on their way."

"Places, everyone," Kermit ordered, as he opened his car door. "Radar, in. You're going to have to stay in the car. Let's get these vehicles under cover."

*****************************************

Bon Bon Hai set the phone down slowly, his mind racing. The man on the phone had identified himself as the arms dealer who he was supposed to be meeting tonight. But he had refused the deal, offering a different agreement. He would not sell him the arms but, for a price, would keep them out of the hands of his enemies. And there was no time to consider as the man insisted he needed an answer immediately. He said was calling from a cell phone and on his way to the meeting where he would refuse LeBec. "Bad news?" asked Jack Wong, correctly identifying the blood rage that was simmering in his boss's eyes.

"That was a Mr. Wagner, the weapons vendor. He has refused to sell because he has found out about his samples being misused here in his own country. But he has given me an account number where I am to transfer ten thousand dollars to keep him from selling to the Zahn family. The arms will go to a Russian consortium instead."

Jack grinned as he took out his gun to check it. "So the deal is off and we don't need LeBec anymore, right?"

Hai nodded as he sat back down in his chair. "But I must retract my offer to let you kill him. Mr. Wagner has arranged for the police to take Mr. LeBec instead. This way, our hands stay clean."

"What about the meeting?"

"It will go forward as planned with one small correction. You will take my place."

Jack froze. "Uh..."

Hai was filled with disgust. As usual, Wong was putting his own concerns first. "You have nothing to fear. Just start the shooting and then disappear before it ends."

If he couldn't handle that, then he deserved whatever happened to him. "Okay, so what do I tell LeBec when I show up there without you?"

"That I was forced to attend to other matters. You are my hand, my eyes. He knows this and will not dare to risk my wrath. You will take what appears to be the gold with you. Take my limo and some extra men with you. Make sure they do not shoot well. I want no police killed by any of my men tonight. And if Caine is there, be sure he stays safe. For tonight."

Jack tucked his gun away. "Then, I'm out of here. I won't let you down."

"No, you will not."

As Jack left, he reached for his computer. The money would need to be in the account immediately. It was a blow not to get the arms but only a small one. And at least he had kept them from the Zahn's hands. More than that, he'd gotten some useful information from LeBec, the priest had been kept off-balance and his student had been identified as someone he could possibly use in the future; someone who could also feed the Dark Warrior. The entire situation was not a total loss, he decided as he tapped the keyboard roughly.

****************************************

LeBec was fidgety and Jack was fairly certain it was because Bon Bon Hai was not there to finalize this deal. At least that's what he hoped. It couldn't be any kind of premonition of the trap that was laid for him. The man couldn't possibly know. He glanced out the window as they approached the abandoned parking garage where the meeting was to take place and noticed the back of a dark blue car. Caine's Stealth was parked about half-way up a nearby alley and if it wasn't so familiar, he wouldn't have even noticed it. So Caine was here too, as the boss had suggested he might be. Well, he could just look out for himself because even though he wouldn't shoot the former cop himself, he certainly wouldn't go out of his way to protect him no matter what the boss wanted. "You'll handle the exchange, right?" Jack confirmed.

LeBec nodded. "If that's what you want."

"It's what the boss wants. He'd rather have you make the deal since you know this man. He trusts you," Jack lied, trying to make LeBec think he'd achieved his goal of becoming Hai's assistant. "I think this a just a test to see how well you do. After this, well who knows? The boss knows I'm busy these days running Moon Imports and can't be there all the time to take care of details for him. You could be just what he needs."

LeBec's reassuring smile seemed to be a bit on the smug side. He appeared to be buying into it like a mouse licking peanut butter on a mousetrap.

*********************************

Peter felt the contact just as the limo pulled slowly into the garage area. It was the highly charged presence of a strong, forceful chi that was totally out of control. He realized he'd felt it before, when Snow had been taken. It was one of the men who had taken her; probably the leader, LeBec.

Experimentally, he reached to cast around the disturbance and felt his student's chi. Weak, tired, but clearer than he'd felt it before. She was close, probably the warehouse district. LeBec must have been making her crazy with his psychic din. He sent out strong thoughts of comfort to her and felt her relief as they connected briefly. He glanced over to the pillar where he knew Kermit hid and wished he could reassure his friend that Snow was okay.

The limo was pulling up not too far from where Wagner leaned against his rental car, arms folded and looking like nothing was wrong.

A back door opened on the opposite side of the vehicle and a tall, rangy man unfolded from it. It was the man they'd been looking for. Kermit leaned back far enough to look at Peter and he nodded 'yes' to him. Wagner stood up straight and put his hands down. "LeBec. Right on time."

LeBec nodded. "Wagner. I've brought full payment here. My client has entrusted me with seeing that his goods are properly delivered and that future sales might be assured."

As he spoke, a large man got out of the limo, dragging a medium sized trunk, made small in comparison to his extraordinary size. Peter recognized him, too. Last time there had been three of the giants. Two must still be with Snow, guarding her, Peter considered. Two more men got out of the front of the limo, on the opposite side, to stand by their open door, watching and waiting as if they were backup.

"Well, we have a problem with delivery," Wagner said and Peter could see he was keeping his hands close to where he kept his gun. "You know I don't sell to anyone who plans to use the merchandise here. This is my country LeBec and I don't believe in fouling my own nest."

LeBec looked dismayed. "They won't be used here. That's why we're taking delivery in Hong Kong. They'll be taken into the Chinese countryside."

Wagner shook his head. "I heard, LeBec. The samples I gave you were used here. That makes your client not trustworthy. It's a no-sale."

"My client had nothing to do with that. That was a separate action by one of his people. You can't hold him responsible."

"Oh, but I do. Sorry, LeBec. Our business relationship has ended. I can't afford these kinds of screw-ups."

LeBec's hand was fumbling for his gun as he raged to his man, "Take him!"

Just as the giant moved forward, Kermit took a step from behind his concealing pillar, saying loudly, "I wouldn't if I were you."

The men froze at the sight of the big gun leveled at them. "By the way, LeBec," Wagner smiled, "this is a business associate of mine from a long time ago. Kermit Griffin. It appears you have a little business with him. He thinks you took something that belongs to him."

LeBec's face had gone deadly pale as he recognized Kermit. Blake and Chin came out from around another pillar to add their gun power to the situation. Wagner began to slowly move away from between the two facing groups. In order to keep from Kermit's line of sight on LeBec, he was forced to move towards the front of the limo, away from his rental. Peter waited where he was, gathering his chi in case he might be needed.

"Like the man said," Kermit looked at LeBec, "you've taken something of mine and I want her back. Now."

LeBec nodded. "Okay, okay. It wasn't my idea. I had orders to take her."

"Who ordered it?"

Kermit's tone was pure frost.

"Now, you can't expect me to just blurt out a client's name. We need to come to some sort of understanding first."

"I understand that if you don't produce her immediately, I'm going to start shooting at your feet. Then I'll work up to your knees. After that, it could get unpleasant. For you; I'm going to enjoy it."

LeBec put both his hands out, "All right. Take it easy. I'm going to take out my cell phone and give my men orders, okay?" "Nice and easy or you're going to be walking funny."

LeBec reached into his jacket and pulled out a cell phone. Flipping it open he pressed a single button. "LeBec here. We're at the garage. The address is on the table. Uh huh; uncuff our prisoner and bring her here. Oh and when you bring her, make sure she's dead!"

He ducked and rolled as he said the last word, dropping the phone to pull his gun when he reached the safety of a concrete pillar. Wagner's vehicle took Kermit's first shot as LeBec had been at just the right angle for it to protect him when he dropped. Shots pinged into the concrete as he followed LeBec all the way to cover. The giant had ducked behind the sedan as Chin and Blake returned his fire, but the two other men just moved behind the limo without raising any weapons.

******************************************

Jack crouched down some as the guns blazed. The limo was bullet-proof but you never could tell and he wasn't about to take chances, especially with the window still partly open.

Suddenly, the door popped open behind him and the arms dealer ducked into the car next to him. "Are you Bon Bon Hai?" he asked.

Jack shook his head negatively. "I work for him."

"You know where LeBec has the woman?"

Jack hedged. "Maybe. Why?"

"You look like a smart fellow. Go get her and take her back to Griffin."

"Now why the hell would I want to do that?"

"Let's get out of here and I'll explain it to you."

Since getting out of there was on the top of his list, Jack shrugged and called out to his men to retreat back into the car. He stretched cautiously up to the open window and checked the locations of the various players in the tense battle. It looked as if most of the cops couldn't see him from this angle. But LeBec could and didn't look like he was thrilled. Jack grinned to himself. Perfect. Now if he could just time it right. "LeBec!" he called, just loud enough for the man to hear him and smiled as he waved him over to the car.

LeBec darted out from behind the pillar where he'd taken refuge and snapped off half a dozen shots, heading for the limo. He looked to Jack just as Wong lifted a gun and caught LeBec square between the eyes.

"Go!" he shouted to his driver as he raised the window glass. Pulling a handkerchief from his pocket, he wiped the weapon clean. Then, lifting an arm rest, he tucked away the police special pistol he'd used to kill his enemy. One of the cops would take the blame for that shot, he grinned to himself. Good thing Hai kept his limo stocked with all the essentials.

Wagner looked up from where he lay on the floor. "You're leaving the gold?" he asked.

Jack smirked, "It was lead."

Once the limo pulled onto the street, Jack sat up in the back seat and began to resettle his new suit, flicking the dust from the pants where he'd been on his knees. His company took the seat across from him. "So tell me why I should worry about Griffin's woman. She's not my problem."

"The problem is not the woman, but Griffin," Wagner told him, "A pissed-off Griffin is not someone I'd care to deal with. Not now, not ever. Right now, I'd say he's pretty pissed. Last time I saw him this pissed, it was...ugly."

And then he told him briefly about a raid he'd gone on in Afghanistan with Griffin and another mercenary and by the time he was finished, Jack's mouth had gone dry and his stomach was jerking in a most unpleasant way.

"Don't be fooled by his current law-upholding gig. If he even thinks you had anything to do with taking this woman, he'll kill you and it won't be quick or clean. If you help, he'll owe you a favor."

Jack mulled over the man's words. It made sense. It would give him an edge over that maniac, Griffin. And the boss said he wanted the woman to feed to that Dark Warrior guy some time in the future. Points all around.

"Okay, I'll see to it personally. Where can we drop you?"

"Anywhere I can catch a cab. It's time for me to be moving on."

******************************************

LeBec was dead. The shot was straight between the eyes and it looked like a police 38 had done the job.

"I can't shoot that good," Chin insisted as he stood over the body. "Blake?"

Blake shook his head. "I never aimed at him."

Kermit was practically chewing bullets. "How the hell could this happen?"

"I'm sorry, Kermit," Peter apologized, "I should have been able to get them to drop their guns sooner. It just happened too fast."

"You aren't to blame here," Kermit told him, glaring at Blake and Chin.

"I didn't even pull my gun until LeBec opened fire," Blake protested. "Roger and I were shooting at this guy over here and we weren't aiming to kill either. Lucky shot got him. Or, unlucky, I guess."

"Someone wanted LeBec dead. Like whoever was in the limo." Chin suggested.

"Hai." Kermit spat.

"No," Peter rejected. "He wasn't even here. I'd know it if he was. I think it could have been Jack Wong. He could shoot that well if given a little time. He's not a sharpshooter, but he's good."

Kermit aimed an angry kick at the body of the large man who had accompanied LeBec. "We're back where we started," he snarled. "Only now she's in more danger."

"Not exactly," Peter corrected. "I can feel her now, Kermit. She's safe and she's close."

"Then go," Chin ordered. "Find her. Blake and I will call this in."

"And take the heat from Simms?" Kermit pointed out.

Chin grinned. "Someone has to, with 'Hotshot' Peter Caine gone."

"I haven't had a reprimand in...well, ever, come to think of it," Blake said, "It will be a refreshing change to be in the doghouse for a while. Go get your wife, Kermit."

Kermit nodded. "Thanks, Blake, Chin. Come on, Caine. We take my car. We might need Radar."

Peter gestured, "I'm right behind you."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

She almost wept with relief when she felt the presence of her teacher. Caine's contact was brief, but it was reassuring and helped her reach a place of calm where she could focus once again. She felt battered and bruised inside from the continual psychic assault on her empathic gift.

The door to her prison room was open since one of the two men were always in the room with her now. They'd brought in a small television set and, since she had no interest in it, had taken to watching whatever sports program they could find on it. Both of the men had their backs to her, engrossed in a basketball game, but she knew that if she made any noise at all, they'd turn around to give her their full attention. She began to sink deeper into a meditative state, hoping to at least contact Caine again. The ringing of the telephone startled her back into full awareness, causing her heart to race and once again, her shielding slipped. One of the guards grumbled as he went out to the office to answer it. When he came back, he leaned over to whisper in his buddy's ear, all the while watching her. She struggled to hold her composure, certain it wasn't good news. The other man looked back at her and pulled out his gun. Snow froze, her heart in her throat. This couldn't be happening! Not when Peter had finally contacted her. Not when help was so close.

"Not here," the first guard cautioned. "Too messy."

He shrugged and put the gun away. "I could just snap her neck," he offered.

The other grunted. "In the car; we have to dump it soon anyway."

One held her still while the other unlocked the handcuff from her wrist, leaving it to dangle on the headboard. She didn't resist, knowing it would be fruitless. Trying to calm herself, she attempted to reach Peter, to give him a sense of her peril, but she couldn't control the panic that was coursing through her enough to contact him.

They each took an arm to propel her from the room, through the offices and then, finally down the stairs to the lower level. It had been some kind of factory evidenced from the machinery that was still occupying the main room. In order to negotiate the stairway, one man dropped her arm and followed them down. If she was going to make a break, she decided, this would have to be it. As they reached the bottom stair, she stopped and, shifting her weight to one leg, used the other to sweep her captor's foot out from under him as he stepped down. He went down like an avalanche, letting her arm go as he tried to catch himself.

Snow leapt over him and darted into the darkness of the machinery that mazed the main level of the warehouse. Running as fast as she could, she tried to put as much room between herself and her enemies before she sank down behind a wall of metal to catch her breath. They were calling to one another, cursing her and she heard one go back upstairs. After a couple minutes, lights began to come on, here and there. She shrunk further back into a shadow when an overhead light came on near her. Then she could hear them as they carefully searched, coming closer and closer.

Once again, she tried to reach Peter. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on taking control, focusing her energy in one cry for help. Suddenly, a large pair of hands seized her, dragging her from her hiding place, half under the lip of a giant machine. This time she fought, but he dragged her back towards the front of the building, dropping her to the floor near the stairs.

"I say we do her here, now."

He pulled his gun again. Snow put her face down on her arms. This was a nightmare. She knew she was shaking, but she couldn't stop, couldn't think, couldn't act.

"Bad idea."

All three of them jerked their heads up. In the doorway of the warehouse stood the young man she'd seen the other day. "What are you doing here?" one of the guards asked.

"I'm here to pick up the merchandise."

Both men looked confused. "What merchandise?"

"Her."

The man with the gun scowled. "We have our orders. She's to be killed and brought over to the meeting."

The handsome young man smiled. "Orders have changed; your boss is having a bad day. Someone ventilated his head for him and now he's not in charge of anything anymore; not even his own bodily functions. So I'll just be taking the woman and you two losers can go find another job."

The two giants looked at each other for a moment and then the gunman fired.

The young man ducked back with a yelp and with what Snow recognized as a heavy-duty curse in Chinese. The second man had pulled his gun too, and both were pointing their guns at him. He dropped to his knees and bent over for a second, holding his arm. Then he straightened and fired the weapon he'd been concealing. It was a semi-automatic hand gun and in seconds it had almost stitched the guards in two before they could react. Their bodies dropped heavily to the floor, twitching, one of them across Snow's leg. She recoiled in horror and pushed herself away from them.

"Come on, get up. We don't have a lot of time."

She looked to the young man who was holding out his hand to her.

"Who are you?"

"Name's Jack Wong. Come on," he encouraged her, reaching to take her hand and pull her up.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Back where you belong."

Hope surged through her. "You're letting me go? Are you a friend of...Caine's?"

He was pushing her outside, towards a large, dark limousine where a man stood, holding the back door open for them. "Not exactly. More like I'm escorting you home. Can't just turn you loose. In case you haven't noticed, it's dark out and this isn't the best part of town. Now get in."

She climbed into the back with him and the doorman shut the door and went to get in up front. They took off with screeching tires and pulled into traffic.

He began to fumble with a handkerchief and she realized his arm was bleeding. "Let me help," she offered and moved to sit next to him.

"That was a brand new suit," he complained. "Armani, damn it."

She had him slip out of the jacket. "It's not too bad; just grazed the outside," she told him, looking the injury over carefully.

He produced another handkerchief and, using the first as padding, she tied the second one around his arm snugly. "It should stop bleeding pretty soon, but you need to get it properly cleaned and bandaged."

She helped him into his jacket again. The intercom came on. "Jack?"

He hit a button. "Yeah?"

"Picked up a tail, a black and white unit. They must have us on report."

Jack cursed again, this time in English. "Lose them, fast, for at least a couple minutes. And then pull over."

Fear surged through her again. If they were running from the police, then they weren't likely to be letting her go. She may have just traded one danger for another. "Why don't you just stop and let me out. I'll be safe with them," she suggested.

"Well, that would work for you, but me, they're going to want to ask questions. Like about what I'm doing with a kidnap victim. They could turn that into a felony charge. Besides, maybe they found a couple of bodies?"

"I'll tell them that was self-defense," she promised. "I saw it all. They shot first, and you were saving me."

His giggle was almost scary. "Yeah, well they'll believe that of me, I'm sure. But there's also the matter of the stolen limo we're in."

"Stolen? Were you trying to impress me with a first-class rescue?"

"Actually, it belongs to my boss but it's a long story. Hold on now."

The limo had sped up and now they were whipping around corners at a frightening rate. She pulled in her control once again. This time, she had to hold that shield, hold that concentration. And she needed to call on her gift if she were to survive.

******************************

"There," Peter pointed and Kermit hauled on the steering wheel to change directions.

It was an older warehouse at the end of the street. A half-lit, half-wrecked sign proclaimed it Choi's Laundry and it was lit up inside as if work was going on. Radar was out the open back seat window before they had come to a complete stop. "Radar," Kermit shouted to stop her as he pulled his gun and exited the car at a full run.

The wolf hesitated at the open door. They could see the two bodies that lay inside. Kermit held up a hand to Peter, pushing him back as he went through the door first, gun ready. Checking, they found both the big men were very dead, but still warm. Radar had her nose to the ground, whining. "Snow!" Kermit called, "Snow? Are you here?"

"Radar," he ordered when he got no answer, "Go find."

The wolf cased around as if confused for a minute and then finally bolted upstairs. They followed and found the wolf lying on a bed in a back office. An empty pair of handcuffs dangled from the headboard and a TV set nattered on in the corner.

"Damn it!" Kermit swore, slamming a fist into the wall next to him as he stood near the door. "This is where they were holding her. But where the hell is she now?"

Peter shook his head. "I'm not feeling anything right now. Maybe she got away. Just ran. Maybe she's out there now, trying to get help."

"Radar, find!" Kermit ordered again.

The wolf got up, nose to the ground and began to sniff around again. They followed her downstairs again and to the back of the building where tracks in the dust and dirt showed a scuffle. "She must have gotten away at some point, hid back here," Peter suggested.

Kermit just grunted assent and continued to follow Radar who led them back to the front and out the door. She stopped on the other side of the Kermitmobile, whining.

Peter bent over to brush sensitive fingers through the dust. "A car; she got into a car."

Kermit ran his fingers through his hair in a frustrated gesture. "Can you feel her with that Shaolin thing?"

Peter stood up and closed his eyes for a minute in deep concentration. "No, I think when she's shielding, she blocks me out too."

"Great, now what do we do?"

"Call this in and go back to the precinct."

"The precinct? Why?"

Peter shrugged. "To quote my Pop, 'I do not know.' But it feels like the right thing to do."

****************************

It was hard to hold her shielding and yet stretch out to this man, Jack Wong, with her gift. It felt wrong to pervert her gift this way but she didn't know what else to do since she couldn't contact Peter. Reaching for his emotions, she implanted the thought he liked her, that he'd want to protect her. She knew she'd done it when he smiled at her the way men do when they're interested in a woman. "So what's your name?" he asked her.

She shrugged. "Why do you care?"

"Easier than calling you "Hey You" or "Hey Lady'."

"Snow."

He reached to take her hand. "Snow White, by any chance?"

It almost made her smile. She hadn't expected him to turn on the charm. "Just Snow will do. The last name doesn't really matter, does it?"

"I guess not. Okay, Snow. Get ready to jump out and run. We're going to have to go it on foot for a bit if we want to get you home safely."

He was still holding her hand when the car stopped and he popped the door open quickly, jumping out and dragging her along. Two other men jumped out of the front and ran across the street, abandoning them. The limo took off again and Jack pulled her into the shadow of an alleyway where they waited until the police cars had passed them, still tracking the limo.

"Okay, Snow White. Time to take you back to your Prince Charm-free, Detective Griffin."

It surprised her. "You know about Kermit?"

"He says you belong to him. Like you were some kind of property. Most ladies don't like that. Are you the kind of lady who likes to be owned?"

"No."

She hadn't meant to say it. It just popped out. "He doesn't own me," she corrected. "I choose to be...with him."

"I can't imagine why. And don't tell me, I'd rather not know. Maybe you ought to be rethinking some choices you've made. So which way to the castle, Snow White?"

She hesitated. Kermit would certainly be very unhappy if this man who was probably not his friend knew where he lived. But then again, Jack had already refused to take her to the police. If nothing else, this would light a fire under Kermit to find them a new, safer place. She gave him the address.

"Nice neighborhood," he commented. "But we're going to need a ride. Come on, I have some friends a few blocks away."

He put an arm around her, but she shrunk back from him by instinct. "We're going to need to look like you're with me if you don't want to get hassled in this area of town," he told her with a scowl, "And I'm not that bad looking; no worse than Griffin, anyway. Least you could do is humor me, lady. I got shot for you, you know."

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to be ungrateful."

He shrugged. "Okay, let's go then."

He put his arm back around her and they set off as if they were lovers on an evening stroll around the neighborhood. "So tell me how you got hooked up with Griffin of all people..."

******************************

It was chaos in the bullpen but Kermit didn't seem to notice, lost in his thoughts. He was leaning tiredly on Skalany's desk, arms crossed, head down. "We have four bodies down in the morgue," he said glumly, "LeBec and the three that were all of his private goon squad. She was there at that warehouse, so where the hell is she now?"

Mary Margaret and Jody sat near but quietly for a change, letting the former merc verbally work out his frustrations. Peter offered hopefully, "I only feel that she's no longer in danger. Maybe she got away on her own, flagged down a taxi."

There was a shake of salt and peppered hair. "No, she's not stupid. She'd head for the nearest cop or phone. Someone has her, is stopping her from contacting me."

"Then let's go back to the warehouse district. Someone may have seen something," Peter suggested.

"This is police business, Peter and it's late. You should just go home and get some rest."

"Yeah, Peter," chimed in Jody. "We'll make sure Kermit has backup. Chin and Blake are busy with the paperwork, but we're free."

"She's my student, and she was under my protection when she was taken, Kermit. It's my business. Besides, my friend, someone I care about, cares about her and even if he won't admit it, I'm convinced he could use my help even if it's only to hold him back from beating someone to death when he catches up with them."

He smiled briefly and whatever he had to say next was lost when a shouted, "Hey, Griffin, line 3 for you!" came from the front desk.

Mary Margaret picked up the receiver and punched the right button, handing him the phone. "Griffin," he answered.

Then he jerked upright, face paling, knuckles whitening as they gripped the receiver. Slowly he lowered it back to the cradle, and looking to Peter, said, "It was Jack Wong."

Jody was on her feet by Peter's side. "Wong? Why the hell is he calling you?"

"Jack Wong?" asked Peter incredulously. "So he is involved."

"He just said 'go home' and hung up. Skalany, can you check the caller ID on that?"

Mary Margaret punched buttons for a second and then read off the telephone number that appeared.

"Son of a bitch!" snarled Kermit, slamming the desk with a fist, "That's my number!"

He whirled and took off running with Peter in hot pursuit. Jody paused briefly to hand Skalany her jacket and they both rushed to catch up as the guys got into Peter's Stealth.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The big gun slid quietly out of his jacket as he approached the apartment door and checked the security box that was hidden behind the decorative plaque above the doorbell. The code numbers showed it had been opened less than 30 minutes ago using the password he'd given to Snow. Kermit punched in the same code, not wanting noisy keys to give anything away. The door snicked open quietly and he slipped in, his backup right behind him.

The apartment was silent; living room and kitchen area were clear, no one in sight. He listened, hearing nothing out of the ordinary and then decided to take a chance. "Snow?" he called loudly enough to be heard anywhere in the apartment.

"Kermit?" Her voice was muffled, coming from the bedroom. "In here!"

He went through the bedroom, gun still drawn, but pointing up for safety in case Snow was alone. The lights were on in the master bath. He swiftly crossed the room to find Snow bending over a shirtless Jack Wong. There were first aid products everywhere and some blood-soaked pads littering the floor. Wong, sitting on the lid of the stool, jerked at the detective's entrance. He immediately pulled both hands up and out to show they were empty.

"You're a dead man," Kermit intoned quietly, pointing the gun at Wong's exposed chest.

"I didn't touch her," Wong protested. "I had nothing to do with taking her; I'm just returning her."

Snow looked up at Kermit with a tired, but happy smile. "I'm fine. Just listen to him, okay?"

A worried Peter spoke up from behind Kermit. "Come out of there, Snow. Let them talk."

"I need to finish this," she answered, even though she could see the rage that was close to boiling over in her husband. "I owe him this much at least. He got shot helping me get away from those idiots who were about to kill me."

She clipped off the ends of the bandage and setting the scissors down, stripped off the latex gloves she was wearing. Then she stepped carefully over to Kermit, avoiding the business end of the Desert Eagle he still had pointed at the young criminal. Slipping an arm around him, she hugged him fiercely, letting her hand reach out and sliding it slowly down the outstretched hand that held the gun, pushing it down. He let her do it and brought his other arm around her to squeeze her briefly and caress her cheek before pushing her away and behind him to Peter. Caine propelled her back to where Jody and Mary Margaret stood, guns also drawn and waiting quietly. Mary Margaret and Jody moved protectively closer, all silently watching the tense scene play out before them.

"What's the game, Wong?" asked Kermit, gun still drawn but down.

"No game, just self interest. Ran into your buddy Wagner and he pointed out a few things to me. The boss is out of control. He's let it get too personal--wants the Shaolin's dead. Both of them, That's not good business. It's going to take him down and I'm not going with him. Not that I care if the priests die," he added.

He shot Peter a nasty smile and stood up slowly, shaking out the bloody shirt he was holding. He carefully put the wounded arm back into a shredded sleeve and drew the rest of the shirt on before he continued. "Since Wagner convinced me it would go better if the babe didn't get scragged, I thought I'd step in and see that she got home in one piece."

"In return for....what?" Kermit snapped, Wong's smirk grating on nerves already unraveled by too much adrenaline. "Nothing at the moment. Perhaps a 'good turn' sometime in the future. I'm not part of LeBec and I don't want to be there when you catch up with him. I'd prefer to die quick. Wagner told me a story about those Ruskies you and he found at some orphanage in Afghanistan. Man, I love my work, but you are truly twisted. I don't know how she can stand to have your hands on her."

A snarl of rage exploded from the former merc and the gun came up with lightening speed. Peter's hand was almost as quick, pushing it aside and grabbing onto his friend. "Wong, you just told us you didn't have a death wish," he said, over his shoulder, "Are you stupid?"

Wong was laughing, as if certain that Caine could stop Griffin. Jody called out from behind them, "Kermit, don't let him do it to you. Think of the paperwork we'd all have to make out."

Snow added quietly, "Kermit, please?"

Kermit dropped the gun again and growled, "Get out of here Wong before I decide the hassle is worth it. Don't bother with the innocent act. We both know you blew a hole in LeBec's head. If I could prove it, the only place you'd be going is up the river, permanently."

"Well now, I'm not the one with motive to have killed him, but you had plenty of reason, Griffin."

"So did your boss. You've always been his stooge and you'll never be anything more than that Wong--just an errand boy. Now go take a message to your boss that I'm watching him very carefully from here on in."

He stepped back, pulling Peter with him to let the young man pass by, but keeping himself physically imposed between Snow and Wong who stopped for a minute to look at Snow and then to him. "The official word on the street will be that I tried to ransom her and got this for my troubles." He gestured at the bandaged arm as he spoke and then looked to Detectives Skalany and Powell. "Maybe you chicks would like to give me a ride back to Chinatown where I can make a daring escape from the police to back up my story?"

Powell snorted, saying, "What makes you think us 'chicks' will let you go?"

Wong looked at Griffin who now had Snow wrapped around his side, her head tucked under his chin. "Take him," he ordered, "and don't slow down when you throw him out."

Wong smiled and turned to go but hesitated and then turned back to face Snow. "If you ever decide to dump the chump, I can give you better than this," he said softly, looking deep into her eyes as he gestured at the elegantly decorated room. "Come to Chinatown, ask for Wong."

"You little bastard.....," Kermit's low growl rumbled audibly, but Snow's restraining hand on his chest stopped him from coming completely unglued.

She stood free of Kermit and took a step towards Wong. "I'm here with Kermit because I love him and that's not something I expect you to understand."

He smiled and looked away. "Don't be too sure about that" and he turned to go.

She stopped him, one more card to play. "Jack, when I told you my last name didn't matter---I lied. It matters. It's Griffin now."

Wong didn't answer. He straightened his shoulders and walked out, Peter right on his heels. Snow reached out for Kermit and he wrapped himself around her again, dropping the big gun on the bed to hold her. Mary Margaret cleared her throat and somewhat embarrassedly said, "Well, we'll be going now. Um, see you tomorrow, Kermit? And maybe you too, Snow?"

Kermit nodded, lips pressed against his wife's brow. "I'll bring her in tomorrow for a full statement."

Jody patted them both as she passed by with a quiet 'good-night' and the two detectives followed Caine and Wong out of the apartment. Wong stopped for a minute. "So they're hitched legal?"

Peter nodded and Wong snorted, "I wonder if she really knows what she married."

Peter didn't bother to answer. Jody gave Wong a small shove. "Shut up and let's go and get this over with. I'm betting you land on that arm when I throw you out."

As the headed for the elevator, Mary Margaret commented casually, "So you want to tell us the story Wagner told you about Kermit?"

Wong laughed that nasty, sneering laugh. "You don't want to go there. You'd never look at your detective buddy the same way again. If it can make me sick, babe, it would give you nightmares."

"Let it go, Skalany," warned Peter, pressing the elevator button.

"Okay, but not if he calls me 'babe' again."

*********************************

Back in the apartment, the two hadn't moved, reveling in the warmth of each other's embrace. "It's okay if I fall apart now, isn't it?" Snow asked him quietly and he realized she was crying.

"Let it out," he told her and held on while she wept into his shoulder.

After a bit, when she seemed calmer, he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her face and nose for her. "Better?"

She nodded. "Except now I have a headache and I'm starving," Snow murmured into his chest, "and I desperately need a shower."

"When was the last time you ate?"

"Earlier this evening. They brought me a box of energy bars yesterday since I told them I wouldn't eat anything that hadn't been sealed. I was afraid they'd drug me."

He reluctantly pushed her back, hands sliding down her arms to take her sturdy, little hands in his, turning them to examine the bruises that braceleted her wrists. "Handcuffs," she explained. "It took me a little while to get them off."

He grunted and closed his eyes, as if waiting to take a punch. "Anything else you want to tell me now?"

"Nope, no rape. Didn't even get fondled other than incidentally when I was struggling with them after each time I almost escaped."

The eyes opened and eyebrows went up, questioning.

"I got out 3 times, and got caught each time. You know, it doesn't do a damn bit of good to pick a door lock when there's a seven-foot stooge on the other side of it."

"It took you three times to learn that?"

She shrugged. "I'm an optimist. I kept hoping they'd go to the bathroom sometime."

He kissed her hands with the smallest suggestion of a smile and then pushed her back towards the bathroom. "You know we need to talk, but it can wait. Go take something for that headache and then get in the shower. I'll call for Chinese takeout. Unless you'd rather have pizza?"

"Sweet and sour shrimp, fried rice and don't forget the plum sauce for the egg rolls if you're calling Oriental City," she called over her shoulder.

He was there with a towel when she got out, her body pleasantly numb and wrung out from the heat of the water. The room had been straightened up and she suspected the towel had even been heated for her comfort. She let him dry her, stopping to kiss every scratch and bruise he found until she finally couldn't stand it any longer and took a handful of hair to hold his head while she kissed him deeply enough to show him the kind of attention she really wanted from him. He picked her up, still wrapped in the towel and carried her to their bed, lowering them both gently down, never breaking the sweet hold on her lips. She had his shirt unbuttoned before they hit the mattress. Their lovemaking was hot and fast and frantic then, as if trying to recapture the time apart.

Later, after the food had arrived, they lay in bed, passing carryout cartons back and forth and feeding each other little tidbits interspersed with sweet and sour kisses. Snow pillowed her head on his good shoulder, hampering his attempt to eat but he didn't seem to mind. He'd wanted to take the shoulder brace off, but she wouldn't let him so he struggled with feeding himself left-handed and with her in his way. "You're more entertaining like this," she assured him with a giggle as he dropped a shrimp on her.

"You just love having a good time at my expense, don't you?" he asked.

She giggled again as he tickled her with the chopsticks, trying to recapture the wayward shrimp. "Stop that, you're getting me all sticky," she pushed the chopsticks away, hand-feeding him the errant item. "I'll take my laughs where I can find them."

"Haven't given you too many of those lately," he admitted, "You scared the hell out of me. I was afraid the next time I'd be seeing you would be down in the morgue."

"I think that's what they had in mind, but I never doubted for a second that you'd come for me."

He snorted, "Oh, yeah. Fat lot of good I did. They were all dead by the time I got there and you were gone. I screwed up babe, and you almost paid for it. I'm sorry."

He looked so ashamed; she reached up to take another kiss. "You couldn't have known what LeBec or Jack Wong was up to."

He shook his head. "You wouldn't have been out there for them to take if I hadn't messed up. Thinking that doing it all my way was the only way. I haven't been considering you and I'm sorry for that."

She was quiet for a second, gathering her words carefully. "When I agreed to let you be in charge, I didn't think it would be every aspect of my life. I'm not a child who needs supervision every second of the day, sweetheart. I don't mind if you guide me through the rocks, but you have to let me swim on my own sometimes."

"I know, I know. I'm just worried I'll lose you over something really stupid."

"Okay, I have figured out that I have to use the crosswalks and wait for the light to change. I won't walk out in front of busses any more, all right? Besides," she continued, "I was the one who was jealous and out of control and I ran out straight into their hands. My responsibility."

"I have some responsibility here, too. You shouldn't be feeling jealous. What ever Karen Simms and I had, or might have had, is over and done with."

"I know you believe that in your head, love, but you don't in your heart. You must still have some feelings that you haven't worked out. Until you do, it won't be over and done with."

He almost sighed and, laying his head back, closed his eyes for a minute as if trying to sort things out before he finally answered her. "Look," he told her, moving so they could gaze at each other's eyes, "I'm not the kind of man who gets pursued by women too often. Karen is a very focused, intense and persistent person. She decided I was worth her interest and I was, admittedly, flattered by her attention. Why not? She's intelligent, compassionate, attractive and successful. And, when things got tough, she bailed on me. Like every other woman in my life, she dumped me. It hurt. I guess that's ego or pride talking. That's what your 'gift' is sensing--bruised pride and anger."

"You wouldn't be angry if you didn't care."

"I don't care about Jack Wong, but right now I'm still angry enough with him, I could blow his head off. People who tell you there's a thin line between love and hate, really don't know how to hate properly."

"If I bailed on you, would you hate me?"

His kissed her temple softly before answering. "No. I couldn't ever hate you. I wouldn't blame you for bailing on me after this. It would be what I deserve. I promised to protect you and I failed."

She shook her head, "This had nothing to do with you. This was all about Caine and his father. I was a way to get to him, not you. Besides, I was awake when we read those marriage vows. There was nothing in there about protecting."

"It was implied."

"You can't protect me from everything."

"I should...." She covered his mouth with her hand, cutting him off. "I don't ever want to hear any 'should's' from you again. What was, was and what is, is. Deal with that, not what could have been. Now, what do you want? Do you want me to leave because you think it's too dangerous here? Or do you want me to stay?" she asked, dropping her hand.

"Stay. What do you want?"

"I want to be with you. Here, there. Anywhere."

"Then that settles it."

"No more guilt?"

"No more. As long as there's no more jealousy on your part. There's no reason for it, I promise."

"All right."

He paused, shrimp midway to his mouth and commented, "Besides, if anyone should be jealous, it's me. You know Wong has a crush on you, don't you?"

She smiled as he let her steal a shrimp from his chopsticks with a swift bite. "You know I don't care, don't you? And that I'm not at all interested in bare-chested boys who want to act out their 'Oedipus Sex' fantasies."

She ran a hand appreciatively over the hair that swirled over his chest and felt a shiver ripple through him. He jammed the chopsticks into the carton as he reached to set it over on her night table. "How about a taste of that last shrimp," he mumbled into her lips as he pulled her close. This time it was long and slow and sweet.

***************************************

They were still some minutes away from the precinct and Peter was ready to push both his former co-workers out without stopping, same as they'd done for Wong. "Don't you two ever talk about anything else? I mean, are Kermit and Snow really all that fascinating or any of your business for that matter?"

"Oh, chill, Peter," Mary Margaret laughed, "Come on. Did you ever think Kermit, our socially inept Kermit, would have a real sex life?"

"I never cared to think about it, to tell you the truth."

"That's because you were too busy with your own," Jody commented, eliciting a giggle from Mary Margaret.

"And maybe you two should be concerned with your own?" he questioned.

Jody snorted. "Like we have any. Besides, all I said was that I wondered if Jack Wong was in hiding, licking his wounds and wishing he could be licking what Kermit is probably licking at this moment. I mean, it's so obvious he wanted her."

"He's lucky Kermit didn't blow him away before he had a chance to even open his mouth," Peter observed. "I can't get over what Wong did. I thought I knew the guy and that he was just pure, stupid evil to the bone."

"Well, he did admit to self-interest. And he's smart enough to know it's better to be on Kermit's good side," Jody remarked.

"It scares me to think he's getting so devious. Chances are, we just let go a murderer; the person who killed LeBec," Peter pointed out.

"Possibly, but you didn't see him there at that shoot-out, did you?" Mary Margaret asked. "All you saw was Hai's stolen limo. Anyone could have been in it."

"No, I didn't see him," Peter admitted. "I can't even say that I could 'feel' it was him. Not that it would be admissible evidence anyway."

"So, no witness, no evidence, no case," Jody said, "But he's going to slip up one of these days. He can't be lucky forever. And, then, we'll put him away for a good, long time."

"Probably not soon enough," was Peter's last comment and they were all thoughtfully quiet as they realized the awful potential of a clever, discriminating Jack Wong.

For a whole minute.

"So, Peter," Mary Margaret started, "Do you know about Kermit and the Russian soldiers?"

Peter nodded. "More than I wanted to. Don't ask."

"An orphanage," Jody said suddenly. "Jack mentioned an orphanage. I asked Kermit once if he'd ever had to kill a child....."

She looked to Peter, an expression of pure horror on her face. Peter said quietly, "Jody, if you have a question, you know I can't answer it; it would mean breaking a confidence. I know you understand about making choices."

She nodded. "I don't think I really want to know."

For once, Mary Margaret was totally silent.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Snow hung back slightly as Kermit led her into the precinct office. Last time she had faced Karen Simms, it had been in Delancy's, on neutral ground. But the 101st was her turf and Snow felt like a trespasser. After what she'd been through, she wasn't even going to try to deal with Simms' intense emotions, so she'd downed a cup of Lo Si's tea for breakfast to dull her empathic sense. Cowardly on her part, she thought, but infinitely easier.

Sergeant Broderick smiled at her. "Nice to see you again," he commented, so she smiled back at him, grateful for the welcome, however small.

Radar let out a woof and leapt up on the desk to slurp his face and have her fur roughed up affectionately as doggie nails scrabbled for a hold on the desk surface. "Hey, good morning, big girl. Ready for breakfast?"

Snow shot a look to Kermit. "Are you guys teaching her bad habits?"

Broderick looked a little chagrined. "Well, not really bad habits. Just a donut or something, every now and then."

"Donuts? Forget it. Radar, off."

The wolf gave her a look before obeying. "Sorry," muttered Broderick to the animal.

"Don't you look at me like that," Snow admonished her pet, "You know better than to be eating donuts. No wonder you're gaining weight, Lunch-mouth."

The wolf whined up at Kermit who put up his hands in surrender, "Hey, don't expect me to come to your rescue. It was a fair cop. Besides, I get exactly the same insult and I'm not sure I like the comparison."

Radar hung her head for all of three steps until she scented Blake and bounded over to greet him. He held up a box of dog treats. "They're for dogs and they're good for their teeth," he explained apologetically.

"One," she instructed, "But make her sit and take it nice."

Radar's sharp teeth gently plucked the tiny cracker from the man's slightly shaking hand. "Good girl," he patted her head carefully.

Kermit stopped at Jody's desk. "You doing the paperwork or Chin?" he asked her.

"I'll be taking Snow's statement, just to make sure it gets written down properly."

She looked at him meaningfully. He nodded, "Use my office. I need to go and grovel to get my badge back."

"Gonna take the wolf for leverage?" she grinned at him.

He didn't answer, just led Snow to his office and showed her in, seating her in his chair. "Don't touch the computer...." he said automatically and she raised her eyebrows at him. "Sorry, force of habit. Radar!"

He opened the door more to let in the wolf, who had still been drooling over Blake, and Jody who had a handful of papers along with her pen. Radar went directly to her favorite spot by the air exchanger, resting in the cool breeze that usually wafted though it. Closing the door after them, Kermit leaned back on it as he told Snow, "Jody knows all about you. And what you can do. I'm sorry, babe. We needed to tell her. She's seen some of the things Peter and his father can do so it's not a big surprise. Just tell her everything and she will edit out anything that isn't appropriate for the report. She's promised to forget everything she's heard."

"Go get your badge," Jody told him with a wave of her hand, "We'll be fine."

Kermit nodded and surprised her by leaning over to take a quick kiss in front of his co-worker. "I'll be right back," he assured her and left.

"You know, I have seen some of the amazing things Peter can do and I certainly don't think he's a freak so if that's what you're thinking, just put it out of your head right now. A gift that can help people the way you helped Kelly is a wonderful thing."

Somewhat taken aback by Jody's direct approach, Snow was shocked into momentary silence. She realized that was exactly what she'd feared all along--that she'd be an outcast, a freak for what she could do, and, no matter how good her intentions, people would regard her with distrust. Worse, by the time she was finished with her statement today, there was a good chance that the one person who mattered would take back that treasured trust he'd given her.

********************************

Kermit took a deep breath as he tapped on Simms' door.

"Enter."

She looked up as he walked in. "Oh, you. Here."

Opening her right hand drawer, she pulled out his badge and tossed it back to him. "You left this behind by mistake last time you were here."

He looked at it for a second, surprised, before looking back into her eyes. "Just like that, eh? Not going to make me grovel? Apologize?"

She leaned back in her chair, tossing her pen down. "You apologize? Grovel? Were you really going to do either?"

He tucked the badge back in his coat pocket. "Oh, yeah. Whatever it was going to take."

"Damn. If I'd known I was going to get a show, I'd have taunted you with it."

He jammed hands into his pockets. "Too late now. But I'd still like to apologize. I know it was procedure."

"You just thought I'd bend the rules for you again, didn't you?" she asked softly.

"You've been known to bend a few rules for the greater good now and then."

"This wasn't for the greater good, Kermit. We ended up with 4 dead bodies and Bon Bon Hai is still clean. We can't touch him. If it hadn't been for Jack Wong, of all people, you might have lost your wife."

"I don't need to have you point out that I screwed up, Karen," he answered her quietly, ice-cold rage flickering through him. "I'm doing a good enough job of that myself."

She stood up and leaned on her desk towards him, eyes blazing. "It's my job, Detective, to tell you when you've screwed up and to help you make damn sure it doesn't happen again. If I pull you from a case, you're pulled and you say, 'Yes, Captain,' and you take whatever you've been assigned. In spite of what you may feel, this isn't personal. No more snits, Griffin. You're too old for them and I'm too damn busy. Rest assured, next time you throw your badge at me, no amount of groveling will get it back for you. Not in my precinct. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Captain."

She sat back down. "Sit," she ordered, pointing to a chair. "

I'd rather..."

"I said sit."

He sat down on the edge of the chair. "This part is personal. How is she?"

Shrugging, he answered, "Well enough. She didn't sleep well last night, but that's her way when she's upset."

"Understandable; she has plenty to be upset about. Do you need to take some time off to be with her? I can assign extra personal days at my discretion and this circumstance certainly warrants it."

"No, we agreed it would be best to get right back into routine."

"Okay, let me know if you want to change your mind. You've been under a lot of stress yourself."

"Thanks, but I'm fine. That all?"

She hesitated. "Just tell her I hope she doesn't let this affect her feelings about city life. There's a lot of good things here to appreciate and good people."

"I'll tell her."

Karen smiled. "Dismissed."

*******************************************

He had lingered by the coffeepot, talking to Blake before going back to his office, wanting to give Jody the time to do her job without his influence. There might have been things Snow would have been reluctant to tell him and he wanted her to be able to talk freely, but he also had the need to know exactly what had happened. Snow was silent when he slipped quietly back into the room and Jody was scribbling furiously. "So you saw Jack Wong kill those two men?"

"Yes." Jody looked up at him. "Don't get your hopes up--they shot first. Then what?"

He shoved some gear aside and sat down on the cabinet to listen. Snow wasn't looking at him so he turned his head to watch Radar instead, metaphorically biting his tongue to keep from saying anything to interrupt.

"He pulled me up off the floor and told me he would take me home. I asked if he was a friend of Peter's, but he said no, and I got scared again. I figured he was just going to use me to get to Peter like the others. He made me get in the limousine and we drove away, leaving the men. He didn't even check to see if they were still alive. I'm ashamed to say I didn't even think of it until I was in the car."

"They were dead almost immediately," Jody assured her, "There wasn't anything you could have done for them."

"I thought so considering how badly they'd been shot up. But I should have checked at least."

"They didn't deserve the consideration," Kermit snapped at last.

"Shut up, Kermit. I'm taking this statement, okay?" Jody advised him coolly. "Pretend he's not here," she added to Snow.

Snow looked up at him finally and then went back to answering Jody's questions. He listened quietly, head down and arms crossed until she told Jody, hesitantly, about making Jack Wong like her. He lifted his head to stare at her, a cold chill settling deep within him.

"Was this the same as you did to the other man; the one whose face you didn't see?" Jody asked.

"Yes."

"Well, then, let's just put that you had some time to talk personally with him in the limo and felt you made a connection with him. That he began to act more friendly and even though he refused to take you to the police, you felt he'd do as he promised and take you home, so you co-operated with him."

"If you think that's best."

He didn't really pay attention to much else that was said. He couldn't get past what she had said about doing something to Jack. Jody finally stood up and picked up her papers. "I'll get this entered and drop you a copy, Kermit."

He nodded and she left, closing the door behind her. He didn't know where to start. "Ask," Snow said, not looking at him.

"This ability to... manipulate people's emotions...have you always been able to do it?"

"I don't know."

"What does that mean?"

"It means just that; I don't know. I wasn't in control of this 'gift'. I'm still not completely. I didn't know I could do it until I had to. I know you'd like a definite answer, but I don't have one. This is as honest as I can be, Kermit."

"And last night? You didn't see a reason to mention it to me then? Hey, by the way, I can make men fall at my feet. You knew Jack Wong didn't have some crazy crush on you. Were you planning on telling me at all?"

"It's not like that."

"What's it like then?"

"Why don't you ask what you really want to know?"

"Did you do it to me?"

"I've never lied to you and I'm not starting now. I sincerely don't know. All I can guess is that it's within the realm of possibility that I could have exploited my abilities in such a way. I could have been doing for years, unknowing."

He got up suddenly, causing Radar to leap to her feet. "Where are you going?"

"To get a black and white unit to take you to Peter's. I don't think I can talk about this any more right now."

"Kermit, please..."

"I'll be right back."

*********************************************

She just happened to be looking up when Kermit escorted Snow through the bullpen again, his hand on the small of her back. The statement must have been hard on them both from the looks of things. Kermit looked positively grim and his wife's head was down. What the hell had happened to her while she'd been in captivity? Well, it would all be in the affidavit, which she'd see sooner or later. She'd been held hostage a time or two in her career herself, so she knew it was no picnic. It must have been much worse on a civilian with no training and no experience to fall back on.

Kermit was giving instructions to a uniformed officer. No doubt, he was sending her back to stay with Peter. Oddly, this time, the wolf accompanied her. The officer guided her out the door and Kermit was heading back to his office, his face stern and his fists clenched. He was upset about something--he hadn't even kissed her goodbye. Not that he necessarily would in front of everyone, anyway.

She considered briefly going to talk with him and then discarded the notion. It was pretty obvious that he was feeling guilty about failing to rescue his wife. Certainly his attitude was her concern, but he'd come to talk to her if he needed to. If it affected his work, she'd step in, but not before.

She went back to her calendar, checking off what had been accomplished so far, and, as she moved it, a business card fell out from between the pages. It was Shawna Watts card, Mary's caseworker. She didn't remember setting in there. Holding it between thumb and forefinger, she read the phone number. It had a lot of two's. Two people, like mother and daughter; like husband and wife. Silly thought, she told herself.

She'd been putting off thinking about it seriously. Well, not really. It had been lingering constantly in her mind, like trying not to think about a glass of water when you were thirsty. But she hadn't allowed herself to think what it would really be like to adopt a child, to be a mother again. Something had held her back, not just now, but before, too, when she turned Mary over to the social worker. She could have volunteered to take the child then, but she hadn't. It dawned on her why; she had wanted to talk it over with Kermit first.

Only Kermit apparently didn't like babies, and his wants were no longer part of her personal life.

She picked up the phone and punched in the numbers. "Ms. Watts, please. Shawna? Captain Simms here. I'd like to make an appointment to talk with you again, if I may. Yes, your office would be fine. What? Well...yes, I would like to see her again."

She wrote the time down on her calendar.

"Thank you, Shawna. I'll see you then."

*********************************************

Peter stood quietly in the doorway, watching as Master Kahn put his little students through their paces. The children were surprisingly coordinated considering they'd only had one lesson so far. With a clap of his hands, Kahn dismissed the class and more than half of the group ran to him immediately to be hugged, patted and generally praised for their work. The others went to their parents who had been holding little coats and boots as they waited for the lesson to be over. Finally, he was left with two dark haired little girls, probably about 5 who looked to be twins. "Emmie, Evie, let Master go and get your things on," admonished their mother as she came to pull them off him.

"They're okay," Kahn told her shyly.

"Don't let them get to you. They figure if they can be teacher's pet, they can get away with more. A regular couple of con-artists those two are."

The woman was shorter than Kahn by at least a full head, pretty without being obvious and had a nicely curved figure. She had long, to-the-waist dark hair with soft reddish highlights. It was no wonder Kahn was smiling and kept ducking his head, Peter thought. An idea popped into his head and he strolled over to where the two adults stood talking quietly. "Nice class, Master Kahn," he complimented. "Hope you don't mind, but I need to take a rain check on lunch today. I have some personal things to do."

"Oh, that's okay, Peter. We can do it some other time."

Peter gave the woman a bright smile and Kahn, noticing, introduced her. "Uh, this is Miss Theakston; her girls are in my class. This is Master Caine."

They shook hands. "I watched a little. You have a quite a duo there. They sure seem to like class," Peter told her.

"I was hoping the exercise would wear them out a bit. So far, it seems like it's just charged them up," she sighed.

"You know, there's a place over on Mason street that has a playground inside the restaurant. I bet if you took them there, they'd burn off a little more energy," Peter suggested. "And since I can't make lunch, perhaps you could go along to help keep an eye on them, Master Kahn?"

"I...uh...well sure. Would you mind, Miss Theakston?"

"Mind? I'd be in your debt, Master if you would come with us," she answered, "but you'll have to drop the Miss business. It's just plain Anna."

As they walked away, seeming to forget Peter's presence, he heard Kahn say, " In that case, you'll have to call me Rob..."

Peter grinned. Rob, eh? More like Don Juan Kahn. And just call me Cupid, he thought to himself as he went back upstairs.

He had just settled into a comfortable lotus position to meditate when he heard and felt Snow and Radar enter the building. The turmoil that radiated from the woman was palpable. He got up as she came in. "Snow? What's happened?"

"He's sent me away."

"Who? Kermit? Why?"

"Because of what I've done."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"What exactly did you do?"

She turned her face slightly away as if unable to meet his eyes. "I made them like me, Master Caine. I manipulated their feelings," she said quietly, "I couldn't get through to the others. LeBec's men were just too dense and LeBec was a walking black hole of emotion. Nothing could have gotten through to him. I couldn't influence them, but I did the other two, Hai and Wong, on purpose. It was wrong of me to use my gift that way."

She was leaking tears silently, her face frozen in stone cold composure. He'd never seen anyone cry in such a controlled manner. It was almost painful to witness. "It wasn't wrong. It was self-preservation, Snow," he assured her, "I've used my abilities in my defense--burned people's hands to keep them from using their guns. You did it to survive in an extraordinary circumstance; a life-threatening situation. One you were not trained to deal with as Kermit and I are. One you should never have been in if not for me and my father."

Swiping a hand over her cheek to brush away the tears, she replied, "But Kermit doesn't see it that way. He thinks I've done it to him, too."

"Did you?"

She shook her head negatively, biting her lower lip. "Not that I know of. Not deliberately, but you know what I was like before. I had no control. What if I did do something, not knowing what I was doing?"

"Then you aren't to blame."

"It's still wrong. He's right not to trust me, and everything between us is false. He doesn't want to see me or talk to me. He's sent me to you because he doesn't want me around anymore."

Tears were falling faster now, dripping off her chin and she was shaking slightly. Peter reached to hold her but she pushed away, turning her back to him. He'd never met a woman who rejected cuddling when upset, but Snow had consistently rebuffed his efforts to comfort her. Taking a deep, cleansing breath, he reached out with his chi and linked to her. Even if she wouldn't let him touch her physically, he could still help her. Fear, doubt, self-loathing. Hate for the gift that kept throwing her life off-balance. Her emotions roiled like boiling water, heated and painful. He did his best to calm her.

"Is what you feel for Kermit false?" he asked her, already knowing the answer.

"No. I love him, but that doesn't make what I did right."

"What you may have done," he corrected her. "But didn't you say right from the beginning that he was very closed to you? You couldn't read his emotions. If you couldn't read them, then you couldn't influence them either."

She turned back to stare at him, hope glimmering in her tear-stained face. "Most of the time I can't read him. Maybe I didn't..."

Peter nodded. "You probably didn't or couldn't. Shaolin gifts don't generally work that way. Even if you did, I don't think it could be sustained without your conscious effort. When I heat up a gun to make someone drop it, it doesn't stay hot forever. Look, I have some things I want to check into. You stay here with Radar. I want you meditate while I'm gone. Calm yourself and work on your control. I'm going to send Lo Si to stay with you."

He strengthened his bond with her chi and poured into her the belief that she was a decent, good and worthy person; worthy of loving herself and worthy of the love of others. Physically, he reached to hold her hands while he mentally gave her the support she needed. "I'll be back soon," he told her as he slowly withdrew the bond when he felt she could sustain her control. She nodded and went to sit among the banks of candles, the wolf following to lay behind her, curled in the small of her back. Satisfied she was safe for the time being, he left the brownstone. Lo Si would be at the one of the tea shops by now and fairly easy to find, and then he needed to make sure of one thing in particular.

***************************************

Jack Wong was more than surprised when Peter Caine shoved past his secretary, into his office. Setting aside the papers he'd been studying, he exclaimed, "Whatever it is, I didn't do it. I've been here all day, just ask my secretary."

Caine waved the secretary out and, after looking to his boss for confirmation, the man left, closing the door behind him. "I'm not here to accuse you of anything. Besides, I'm not a cop anymore," Peter promised, "I just need a few answers."

"I could call the cops on you then, for bursting in here."

Peter nodded. "You could try, and I could kick your butt from here to next week long before anyone could come help you. I told you, I just want a few answers, that's all. Easy or hard, your choice."

Wong shrugged and indicated a chair. Peter ignored the offer. "What feelings do you have for Snow Griffin?"

Jack almost laughed, giving out a snort of sorts. "Griffin's wife? None. Why? Does he think I do? I don't. You be sure and convince him I don't. I don't want him showing up here next."

"But you rescued her. Took care of her and brought her home unharmed. Why?"

"I told you I thought it was in my best interests. Seemed like the right thing to do at the time."

"You told her 'Come to Chinatown, ask for Wong..'"

Jack cut in nervously, "Okay, okay. I found her kind of appealing at the time. I don't know what I was thinking--must have been under stress from that bullet I took. Besides, how often do I get the chance to rattle Griffin's cage for free. But right now, I could care less about the chick, all right? Tell Griffin that. She's all his and he's welcome to her."

Peter nodded and turned to go. It was as he'd thought. Without Snow's conscious effort, her manipulations did not last. He stopped at the door and over his shoulder said, "Thanks, Jack, that's all I needed. Have a nice day."

************************************

The precinct was as noisy as usual and it almost felt like coming home to Peter. He greeted a few hookers who stood in line at the desk and waved to Sgt. Broderick who was obviously too busy to talk. Kermit's door was closed so he paused at Jody's desk, waiting until she hung up her phone. "He in there?" he asked, nodding towards the door.

"Oh, yeah. And grouchier than a bear. He has to turn in his report today, so we're guessing he's guilt-tripping over Snow's statement about how she was treated. It was pretty rough for her. Of course, it's the edited version. They don't know about all the emotional abuse she suffered. Plus throw in his having to grovel to get his badge back. He's not fit company for felons right now. Be careful when you open the door."

Peter gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Thanks for the warning. You and I both know what that guilt stuff can do to you. I'll go talk to him and see what I can do."

He tapped on the door before opening it. "I don't remember inviting anyone to enter," Kermit snapped without turning around.

Peter closed the door behind him. "True, but I never did wait for invitations anyway. If I did, old friend, you and I would not be old friends."

Kermit stopped typing. "She send you?"

Peter walked over to sit in the chair opposite the desk. "No."

"It's between her and me, Caine. Stay out of it."

"Love to, but I care about both of you and you're both hurting over this. You need to trust yourself, Kermit. Trust what you feel."

Kermit looked away. "I don't know what I feel anymore."

"Yes, you do. You just don't want to admit it. How you feel now is what is real. Whether or not it was imposed on you is not the issue. Love, Kermit, the real stuff, is not something we decide for ourselves. It just is. It gets imposed on us, whether we want it or not. 'It comes out of heaven; unasked for; unsought.' That's a quote from Pearl Buck. From heaven or from someone who loves you--what's the difference? For the past few weeks, you've been happier than I've ever seen you. Am I wrong?"

"No, you aren't wrong, but these feelings are not real."

"What's not real about it? Are you worried she doesn't really care? Because if that's the case, I got news for you, that's the risk you take when you care for someone anyway."

"It's not that."

"Then what?"

"Suppose I wake up one morning and I don't feel anything for her. Suppose what she did wears off."

"That could happen anyway. Even so, didn't you say you liked being married? Don't you think things sort of cool down after a while anyway? Don't you two get along well? Could it be a good marriage without that heated passion?"

"Yes, yes to all of that."

"Then you're making something out of nothing. What matters is how you feel now."

"This is a new stance you're taking, Caine. I seem to remember someone who spent a lot of time a few weeks back, trying to convince me I was rushing too quickly into a relationship."

"You're the one who decided to make it legal. You don't throw away a good marriage over one little problem."

"I would call this more than a little problem."

"It's the same problem you've always had, trust. You need trust yourself, Kermit."

"What I need is some time to think."

Peter stood up. "Don't take too long, Kermit. You said you were afraid she'd run if things got tough. Things have definitely gotten tough. She might decide to go back on her own. You know it wasn't a marriage certificate that brought her here and it won't keep her here either."

Peter went to stand at the door, hand on the doorknob, ready to turn it, but he stopped and said quietly as he turned towards his friend, "By the way, I checked with Jack Wong. He has no interest in her anymore. Apparently, if she doesn't consciously sustain it, the empathic influencing doesn't last. Makes sense if you think about it. You were always closed to her anyway. She couldn't have manipulated you, Kermit. It's real. Out of heaven, unasked for, unsought."

He left, closing the door quietly after him.

Kermit's call to his cell phone came before he even made it back to the brownstone. Paused at a red light, Peter wrote down the address he was given. "I'll have her there at 5," he promised.

*****************************

The house was set back from the road and gated like most of the homes in the nice neighborhood. A buzz-through the gate was the only answer to Peter's question in the speaker that was mounted on a post at the foot of the drive. The Kermitmobile was parked in front of the door so he let her out, telling her to trust herself. "I'll take Radar over to Lo Si's," he offered.

As the Stealth pulled away, she went to the front door. It was slightly ajar so she walked cautiously in.

He was waiting for her in the living room, leaning against the frame of French doors. Behind him was a wintry garden, beautifully landscaped with evergreens and snow. It smelled of fresh paint and pine cleaners and cut wood. The floor was light hardwood, polished to a high sheen that reflected the hushed light from the falling dusk. His shadow on the wood was like night, dark and mysterious in the softly lit room. She walked to the middle of the room and stopped warily, waiting for him to speak first.

"Hi."

"Hi. What are we doing here?"

He straightened up and walked to her, taking her hands in his to study them as if he could read their future there. "We're making up, hopefully. In our new home, and we're once again establishing that I'm an idiot and that you deserve better than me."

She almost started crying again, eyes bright with tears, but reined it in. "Why this change of heart?" she asked softly.

"The heart has always been the same. It's the attitude that's changed. Something Peter said to me."

"That you were closed to me? That it was unlikely I could have influenced you?"

"I won't lie. That was part of it, a small part. However, he pointed out that at the heart of it all, is that you make me happy. I like being with you. I like your sassy mouth and I like your courage. I like knowing you're waiting for me at the end of the day. And, most of all, I like being loved, whether I deserve it or not. Can you possibly stand another apology?"

"No, let's just pretend you said it and I accepted it."

She slid her arms around his waist and pulled him close.

"Good," he told her, burying his face in her hair as he held her tightly, "I was over my quota for this year anyway."

He pulled her face up to his for a deep, but gentle kiss.

"So what about this place?" she asked softly in his ear as she snuggled her face into his neck.

He sighed. "Well, I bought it before we had that little heart-to-heart about who was in charge of our relationship. TJ showed it to me before you were snatched. I had to move fast to get it and I thought you'd like it as much as I do. It closed while you were gone. TJ went out of his way for us and we really owe him, but if you hate it, I'll just sell it and we'll find another place. That will be your part of this decision."

"Show it to me."

They wandered from room to room, stopping to look at details and to hold each other, kissing occasionally. They peered out into the walled yard whose snow covered shapes held the promise of a spectacular warm-weather garden. Finally, in the master bedroom that opened into a greenhouse/solarium area, he asked her, "So what do you think?"

"I think if you kiss me like that again, you'd better be prepared to loosen that tie."

He smiled, "I meant about the house."

"I love it. It's almost like having our own slice of sanity here in the city. I can hardly even hear the traffic noises at all."

"It's yours then."

"Ours, we make it ours," she insisted.

"Okay, ours."

"But your ugly screen goes in that den with your computer gear."

"Deal. But you're paying to have it restored and I don't want to hear any whining when you get the bill. That was an antique, you know."

"That just means it's been ugly for a long time. I'm not impressed. What about furniture? Any style you like in particular?"

He shrugged. "Nothing too flowery, frilly, girly."

"Humm, I'm sensing a need for you to accompany me to the furniture store so you can show me or I might come home with your basic Mickey Mouse theme."

"Shopping? Good God, woman, you drive a hard bargain."

She grinned up at him, "How do you feel about leather?"

"We talking living room or bedroom?"

**************************************

There was a soft rap on Kermit's office door and he called out "Enter," after closing out his email screen.

It was Jody. She'd been looking at him strangely all morning. "I just wanted to talk for a bit. Do you mind?"

He pointed to the chair and said, "I'm listening."

She sat and looked at her hands for a minute. He sat back in his chair, hands folded, waiting for her to gather her thoughts. She finally looked up and told him, "You know, there's an amazing amount of stuff out there on the web."

"Really?" he asked sarcastically, not sure where she was going, "Damn and I've just been using this thing to play 'Space Invaders' and stalk my neighbors."

"I've been doing some surfing in my spare time. I've found out a lot about Russia's involvement with Afghanistan. Apparently, when the peace accords were finally signed in Geneva, the Russians requested the delivery of a certain mercenary who appointed himself judge, jury and executioner of four Russian soldiers who had ravaged an Afghan orphanage. At least three adults and an unknown number of children were killed in the incident. Three mercenaries came along and stopped the soldiers. One of the mercs killed them and not very nicely according to reports. Then he had to deliver the 'coup de grace' to several of the children who were barely alive because the closest medical help was days away. The mercenaries brought the few surviving children on a three-day trek to the nearest aid station and then disappeared. Although the USSR made monetary reparations for the incident, it seems they wanted to prosecute one of the mercenaries for war crimes for having tortured their soldiers to death instead of executing them cleanly. They were never able to correctly identify that mercenary and he's still wanted. There's rumors of a nice price on his head."

Kermit had sat there, unmoving, with no visible emotion, listening to her talk. When she finally paused as if waiting for him to say something, he told her, "Can't believe everything you find out on the web, Sweetcakes. But does this story have a point?"

She stood. "No," she answered, "Except I don't think those soldiers got all they deserved. Even a slow death was too good for them. And you're probably right; I probably got onto the wrong web site. I'd look like a fool if I repeated that story. Thanks for listening, Kermit."

She went out, closing the door after her.

He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. The memories were still there. Lately, it seemed he'd banished the nightmares. Even Wagner's appearance hadn't brought them back, but the memories, no matter how he tried, would not fade. Radar came to put her head in his lap and he stoked her coarse fur absently, still locked in the past.

His computer beeped suddenly and he sat up to answer it. Opening the email account again, he found a new message. "Heard you caught one recently. You okay? And what's this I hear about a third marriage? P"

He smiled and typed back: "I'm fine--all healed. Just another scar for the collection. As for the marriage, I prefer to think of it as not my third, but my last. You're going to love her too. K" and he hit the send button.

Shutting the computer down, he reached for his coat and stood up. "Come on, Radar. Let's sneak out of work early today. For some reason, I feel like being bad."

The End


End file.
